agua fresca

noun

agua fres·​ca ˈä-gwə-ˈfre-skə 

plural aguas frescas ˈä-gwəz-ˈfre-skəz  or less commonly agua frescas

: a beverage consisting of water and sugar with fruits, grains, or seeds added for flavoring

Tamarind is one of the most common flavors of agua fresca in Mexico …

—Fany Gerson

Most lime aguas frescas in Mexico City taste like a tangier version of lemonade. My recipe is slightly different, as it uses brown sugar instead of white …

—Lesley Téllez

These flashy agua frescas are served in barrel-shaped cups topped with fruit …

—Fielding Buck

… an agua fresca served in a quart Mason jar.

—Alison Cook

Examples of agua fresca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ordering happens at a walk-up window, and the best place to sit is at the sidewalk tables, perhaps while sipping goldfinch-yellow agua fresca, a not-too-sweet blend of pineapple and cucumber. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2025

Chia seed water, or agua fresca, is an easy way to increase hydration and get a healthy dose of fiber and protein. —Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 20 Aug. 2025

Owner and El Centro local Ernie Quintero serves craft beers from his brewery in neighboring Imperial, but his best seller is his Jamaica Fuerte, a hard hibiscus tea served like an agua fresca. —Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025

The menu features sandwiches, small bites, sweets and drinks like agua fresca, horchata, Jamaica, cafe de olla, lattes and lemonade. —Bahar Anooshahr, AZCentral.com, 15 Aug. 2025

To drink, the bloody agua fresca ($6.50) combines watermelon and strawberry juice with a Tajín and lime rim. —Irene Milanez, Sacbee.com, 28 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from American Spanish, literally, "cool water"

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above