Origin and history of Martini

1887, short for Martini cocktail (1886), originally a mixture of Old Tom gin, vermouth, bitters, and sometimes sherry, curaçao or simple syrup, usually garnished with citrus peel and often served with ice. A Martinez cocktail is documented by 1884, this being an iced drink made from gin, vermouth, bitters and maraschino liqueur, sometimes sweetened with syrup, and which is certainly a related recipe. Dry Martini is by 1897, a version made with dry gin, Italian (white) vermouth, bitters and an olive garnish. Martini was normally capitalized as if a proper name, until 1970s when this rule fades.

The Martinez appears to be the older form of the drink, and a theory holds that it is named for Martinez, California, the town where the drink was said to have originated in the 1870s, although this etymology doesn't appear until much later and many historical details in the claim don't add up. (See David Wondrich's book Imbibe! for his research into the matter.) The 1884 recipe in The Modern Bartender's Guide says it is "same as [a] Manhattan, only you substitute gin for whisky." The Martinez seems to have disappeared from public consumption around 1910.

The name Martini is sometimes attributed to the vermouth. Martini & Rossi brand has been available in the US since the 1860s and an 1891 Washington Herald article claims the drink must be made with "the Martini vermuth [sic]." Italian style vermouth is the white vermouth favored for the dry version of the drink, and is usually specified even in the older, sugary recipes for Martinis. Perhaps this Italian element is what split the name from the Martinez, which appears could be made with the bartender's choice of Italian or French vermouth. An 1887 article about fashionable New York cocktails declares "...now they are coquetting with a subtle compound of gin and vermouth, which they call 'the Martini,' though its name is spelled 'Martinez.'"

Martini glass meaning the style of glass for serving the cocktail is by 1935 (the original drinks were served in wine or champagne glasses.) Vodka Martini is 1952. Applied to sweet drinks served in Martini glasses (Chocolate Martini, etc.) from ca. 1996.

As the name of a type of rifle used by the British army from 1871 to 1891, it is attested from 1870, from Friedrich von Martini, who invented the breech mechanism on it.