/mahr tee"nee/ , n. , pl. martinis .
a cocktail made with gin or vodka and dry vermouth, usually served with a green olive or a twist of lemon peel.
[ 1885-90; perh. alter. of Martinez (an earlier alternate name of the drink, of disputed orig.), by back formation (taking it as pl.), or by assoc. with the vermouth manufacturer Martini, Sola & Co. (later Martini & Rossi) ]