bevanda

Bevanda is the Italian noun for any liquid intended to be drunk. In common usage it covers both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, though it is often used in culinary or formal contexts to refer to beverages in general. In everyday speech, people may use terms like bibita, acqua, latte, or succo for specific drinks, while bevanda remains a broader designation that includes tea, coffee, water, juice, milk, infusions, and, in some contexts, cocktails.

Etymology and sense: the word bevanda derives from the verb bere, to drink, with the suffix -anda, forming a noun that conveys “something to be drunk.” The sense has medieval and modern attestations in Italian, and there are parallel forms in Latin such as bibenda, indicating beverages or things to be drunk.

Usage and classifications: on menus and in culinary writing, bevande are often categorized as bevande calde (hot beverages) and bevande fredde (cold beverages), or as bevande analcoliche (non-alcoholic drinks) and bevande alcoliche (alcoholic drinks). Common alcoholic bevande include vino, birra, and liquori, while non-alcoholic ones include acqua, tè, caffè, latte, succhi di frutta, e infusioni. In everyday language, phrases like “una bevanda” or “una bevanda fredda” are used to refer to a drink in general.

Nuance: bevanda tends to carry a slightly more formal, culinary, or written tone than everyday speech. Dialects and regional usage may favor more specific terms, such as bibita for soft drinks.