: a geographical name (as of a region, village, or vineyard) under which a winegrower is authorized to identify and market wine
also: the area designated by such a name
3
archaic: the act of calling by a name
Did you know?
Ask a Frenchman named Jacques his name, and you may very well get the reply, "Je m'appelle Jacques." The French verb appeler means "to call (by a name)," so Jacques' answer literally translates to "I call myself Jacques." Knowing the function of appeler makes it easy to remember that appellation refers to the name or title by which something is called or known. Appeler and appellation also share a common ancestor: Latin appellāre, meaning "to call upon, name, or designate," formed by combining the prefix ad- ("to") with another verb, pellere ("to beat against, push, or strike"). Appellāre is also the root of English's appeal (by way of Anglo-French and Middle English), as well as appellate, which is used to indicate a court where appeals are heard.
Recent Examples on the WebThe brandutilizes a different winemaker for each varietal and growing region to create wines that represent each appellation. Kevin Gray, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2022 But even within the appellation, the conditions in the subregions vary considerably.New York Times, 30 June 2022 The Collines Rhodaniennes is an appellation for the greater Northern Rhône area, often used for grapes that weren’t grown in areas of higher status.New York Times, 21 July 2022 Located directly east of San Francisco at the edge of the Sacramento River Delta, the Lodi appellation is noted for its Mediterranean climate, distinctive sandy soils and heritage old vines. Kevin Gray, Forbes, 13 Aug. 2022 Portugal produces just 2% but stresses quality, with an appellation system that regulates production.Fox News, 2 Aug. 2022 This is part of the challenging viticultural life in the northern part of the West Sonoma Coast, which in May became the newest official American wine appellation.New York Times, 30 June 2022 The Champagne appellation is strictly limited geographically and in terms of yields. John Mariani, Forbes, 10 June 2022 The appellation refers to the workout’s purpose of simulating an upcoming marathon race as closely as possible without stressing the runner to the point of ruining the flow of his or her training. Matt Fitzgerald, Outside Online, 22 Jan. 2019 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English appellacyon, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French appellacion, borrowed from Latin appellātiōn-, appellātiō "name, designation, noun, appeal," from appellāre "to speak to, address, apply to for support, refer to a higher authority, call upon, name, designate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action; in sense 2 borrowed from French, going back to Middle French — more at appeal entry 2