affogato

noun af·fo·ga·to \ ˌä-fō-ˈgä-(ˌ)tō \

Definition of affogato

: an Italian dessert of vanilla ice cream over which espresso has been poured

The affogato can be sipped slowly or eaten with a spoon and is a great way to enjoy dessert, coffee, and an after-dinner drink all in one.
—Philip Johnson, Bistro, 2004

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Origin and Etymology of affogato

borrowed from Italian, literally “drowned” (in compounds such as gelato affogato and affogato di gelato, referring to ice cream covered in a liquid), past participle of affogare “to drown,” going back to Vulgar Latin *affōcāre, alteration, by prefix substitution, of Latin offōcāre “to choke, throttle,” from ob-ob- + -fōcāre, verbal derivative of faucēs “throat”

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First Known Use: 1992

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