text: what does "cocktail" mean?   a cocktail is a style of mixed drink. a cocktail usually contains one or more types of liquor and flavourings, usually one or more of a liqueur, fruit, sauce, honey, milk or cream, spices, etc. the cocktail became popular during prohibition in the united states primarily to mask the taste of bootlegged alcohol, the bartenders at a speakeasy would mix it with other ingredients, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.