affogato

noun

af·​fo·​ga·​to ˌä-fō-ˈgä-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce affogato (audio)
: 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

Word History

Etymology

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"

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of affogato was in 1992

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Dictionary Entries Near affogato

Cite this Entry

“Affogato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affogato. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

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