noun General Slang

Speakeasy

/ˈspiːkˌiːzi/ · noun · slang

A hidden illegal bar of the Prohibition era where you spoke easy to get in.

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Definitions

1

By extension, any secretive bar requiring a password or insider knowledge to enter.

“There's a speakeasy behind the diner that only opens after dark.”
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2

An illicit establishment that sold alcohol during Prohibition, usually hidden behind an unmarked door or a front business.

“They ran a speakeasy in the back of the barbershop.”
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3

Modern revival: a deliberately retro, password-gimmick cocktail bar styled after the originals.

“We booked a table at a speakeasy with a phone-booth entrance.”
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Speakeasy In A Sentence

You needed a password to get into the speakeasy on Elm Street.
The cops raided three speakeasies in one night.
That new speakeasy hides its door behind a bookshelf.

Origin & Usage

An American term that predates Prohibition but exploded in the 1920s, when banning alcohol drove drinking underground. The name comes from urging patrons to 'speak easy,' meaning quietly, so as not to draw police attention.

Variants speak-easyspeak easy
Tags #1920s#flapper#jazz-age#prohibition#vintage#drinking

People Also Ask

What does 'speakeasy' mean?

It's a secret, illegal bar, originally one selling alcohol during Prohibition. The name came from speaking quietly to avoid tipping off the law.

Where did 'speakeasy' come from?

The word existed earlier but became famous in 1920s Prohibition America. It referred to hushed, hidden drinking spots.

Do speakeasies still exist?

Yes, as a bar style. Modern speakeasies revive the hidden-door, password aesthetic for fun rather than legal necessity.

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