<p>Yes, the term is an oxymoron.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brew">Miriam Webster</a> agrees with your definition of brewing involving hot water:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>to prepare (as tea) by infusion in hot water</p>
</blockquote>

<p>That is why the word <em>cold</em> is used as a qualifier to show that it is done with cold water rather than hot water.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-10T00:25:15.067Z
2015-02-10T00:25:15.067Z
Patrick Sebastien
<p>Dictionaries seem to agree that brewing requires <em>hot</em> water. I have checked definitions in the <em>New Oxford American Dictionary</em>, the (British) <em>Oxford Dictionary of English</em>, and a thesaurus.</p>

<p>So how about the expression we most use for getting a coffee drink out of cold water: "cold brew" ?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-10T01:41:33.700Z
FWIW I have also heard a beer called a "cold brew". Maybe because things brew better when hotter so we assume heat has to be a part?
Justin C
<cold-brew><terminology>
Is "cold brew" an oxymoron?
Eric Platon
# Is "cold brew" an oxymoron?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-10)

Dictionaries seem to agree that brewing requires *hot* water. I have checked definitions in the *New Oxford American Dictionary*, the (British) *Oxford Dictionary of English*, and a thesaurus.

So how about the expression we most use for getting a coffee drink out of cold water: "cold brew" ?

**Tags:** cold-brew, terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: FWIW I have also heard a beer called a "cold brew". Maybe because things brew better when hotter so we assume heat has to be a part?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-02-10. Score: 9

Yes, the term is an oxymoron.

[Miriam Webster](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brew) agrees with your definition of brewing involving hot water:

> to prepare (as tea) by infusion in hot water

That is why the word *cold* is used as a qualifier to show that it is done with cold water rather than hot water.


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