How it’s served
Dry
Dry means not sweet. In a Martini, "dry" means it uses only a little dry vermouth; "extra dry" means even less, or just a rinse of the glass.
In practice
Dry vermouth is the pale, less sweet kind, as opposed to red sweet vermouth. A dry Martini leans on the gin or vodka; a wet one has more vermouth. The word also describes wines and sparkling wines with little sugar.
Drinks to try it with
Dry, in short
What does dry mean?
Dry means not sweet. In a Martini, "dry" means it uses only a little dry vermouth; "extra dry" means even less, or just a rinse of the glass.