alcoholic

First attested 1891, from alcohol +‎ -ic.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌæl.kəˈhɒl.ɪk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌæl.kəˈhɔ.lɪk/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˌæl.kəˈhɑ.lɪk/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlɪk

alcoholic (plural alcoholics)

1. A person who is addicted to alcohol.
   • 2001, Starsailor, Alcoholic:

     Don't you know you've got your daddy's eyes
     Daddy was an alcoholic

   • 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:

     Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.

2. One who abuses alcohol.

• (person addicted to alcohol): See also Thesaurus:drunkard

• (antonym(s) of “person addicted to alcohol”): teetotaler, on the wagon; See also Thesaurus:teetotaler

• friend of Bill W.

alcoholic (comparative more alcoholic, superlative most alcoholic)

1. Of or pertaining to alcohol.
2. Having more than a trace amount of alcohol in its contents.

   He ordered an alcoholic beverage.

   The oysters were sour, and excessively alcoholic.

3. Of, pertaining to, or affected by alcoholism.

• See also Thesaurus:alcoholic

• nonalcoholic

• alcohol

• colaholic

alcoholic (comparative plus alcoholic, superlative le plus alcoholic)

1. alcoholic (containing alcohol)