aqua vitae (n.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict[aqua vitae 词源字典]
early 15c., Latin, literally "water of life," an alchemical term for unrefined alcohol. Applied to brandy, whiskey, etc. from 1540s. Compare whiskey, also French eau-de-vie "spirits, brandy," literally "water of life."[aqua vitae etymology, aqua vitae origin, 英语词源]