noun
wino
WEYE-noh
noun
1
Informal, often disparaging: someone who drinks cheap wine or alcohol heavily and habitually, especially a homeless alcoholic.
"A wino was sleeping on the bench outside the station."
2
Informal: a wine enthusiast.
"She calls herself a wino and has opinions about every bottle on the list."
How to Use Wino
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSlang for a heavy wine drinker — the tone ranges from mocking (homeless drunk) to affectionate (wine lover), so context matters a lot.
When to use it
Very informal and can be derogatory when used for a homeless alcoholic; use carefully.
Word Forms
winos plural, winoes plural, winos plural
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Etymology
From wine plus the informal suffix -o, which marks a person defined by that trait (compare "weirdo").