Early 17th century, from cock + tail, in the sense “(a horse with its) tail standing up, like a cock’s”.

The origin of the extension to “an alcoholic mixed drink” is unknown. One theory is that it refers to a simulant (gingering), hence a simulating drink; compare pick-me-up.

Another attested use is for non-thoroughbred racehorses: these were considered "cock-tailed" due to their docked tails. This may have led to the term "cocktail" (sense 1) being used for an adulterated spirit.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈkɒk.teɪl/
• (America) IPA: /ˈkɑk.teɪl/
• (Australia) IPA: /ˈkɔk.tæɪl/

cocktail (plural cocktails)

1. A mixed alcoholic beverage.

   Synonyms: mixed drink, ckt

   They visited a bar noted for its wide range of cocktails.

   • 2011, Mark Polonsky et al., USSR: From an Original Idea by Karl Marx, page 32:

     The cocktail in Britain is a rigidly-defined social institution: each has its own particular meaning—the G & T is the alcoholic equivalent of the interview suit; Pernod and black is an alternative to glue sniffing for repentant trendies, etc.

2. (by extension) A mixture of other substances or things.

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:hodgepodge

   Scientists found a cocktail of pollutants in the river downstream from the chemical factory.

   a cocktail of illegal drugs

3. A horse, not of pure breed, but having only one eighth or one sixteenth impure blood in its veins.
4. (UK, slang, dated) A mean, half-hearted fellow.

   Synonyms: coward

   • 1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC ↗:

     It was in the second affair that poor little Barney showed he was a cocktail.

5. A species of rove beetle, so called from its habit of elevating the tail.

• French: cocktail
• German: Cocktail
• Italian: cocktail
• Portuguese: coquetel
• Russian: кокте́йль
• Spanish: cóctel, coctel

cocktail

1. (obsolete) Ostentatiously lacking in manners.

cocktail (cocktails, present participle cocktailing; simple past and past participle cocktailed)

1. (transitive) To adulterate (fuel, etc.) by mixing in other substances.
2. (transitive) To treat (a person) to cocktails.

   He dined and cocktailed her at the most exclusive bars and restaurants.