el orujo

Definition & meaning

Orujo is a masculine Spanish noun with two closely related meanings:

1. Grape pomace: the solid remains—such as skins, seeds, and stems—left after grapes are pressed to make wine. More broadly, it can refer to the residue left after pressing other fruits, especially olives.
2. Grape-pomace spirit: a strong distilled alcoholic drink made from fermented grape pomace. This meaning is especially common in Spain.

Grammar & Word origin

Orujo is a masculine noun: el orujo. Its plural is orujos. The word is not transparently divided into smaller modern Spanish parts; its etymology is uncertain.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no exact general antonym.

• bagazo ↗ can mean the fibrous residue left after pressing, and may overlap with orujo. Its meaning is broader and varies by region and context.
• hollejo ↗ means a fruit’s skin or peel, so it refers to only one possible component of grape pomace.
• aguardiente de orujo ↗ names the spirit made from pomace; it is a more explicit expression for the alcoholic sense of orujo.

Common phrases & collocations

• orujo de uva ↗ — grape pomace.
• orujo de aceituna ↗ — the residue left after pressing olives.
• aceite de orujo de oliva ↗ — olive-pomace oil, extracted from the residue of olive pressing.
• licor de orujo ↗ — an orujo-based liqueur, often flavored or sweetened.