espresso

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noun espres·so \ e-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō \

variants: or less commonly expresso play \ik-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō\

Definition of espresso

plural espressos

1 :coffee brewed by forcing steam or hot water through finely ground darkly roasted coffee beans

2 :a cup of espresso

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espresso was our Word of the Day on 11/03/2012. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of espresso from the Web

The kitchen is visible just beyond the beer taps and espresso machine.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Gralehaus is one of the restaurants making Louisville shine | Review," 23 Aug. 2017
That menu offering layers espresso, almond milk, and cinnamon dolce syrup, and, like its new, blended cousin, is topped with caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

— andrea park, Teen Vogue, "Starbucks Debuts Horchata Almondmilk Frappuccino," 8 Aug. 2017
Matcha caffeine works differently than a shot of espresso.

— rebecca dolan, Esquire, "Thanks to Drake (and Brooklyn), High-Grade Matcha Is Going Mainstream," 2 Aug. 2017
Hussain recently added a new espresso machine and grinders to the shop, which are faster and give a better brew.

— special to al.com, AL.com, "Angel's Island Coffee celebrates decade of business amid South Parkway construction," 16 July 2017
Known for his deft use of color, Hart’s lineup included a mint suit over a riotous banana-print shirt, a pink guayabera worn with cantaloupe trousers, and an espresso-hued tuxedo that would be a good bet for the upcoming Emmy Awards red carpet.

— vincent boucher, The Cut, "What We Saw at the New York’s Menswear Shows This Week," 14 July 2017
If all this seems overwhelming, take a deep breath of espresso-scented air.

— brianna hamblin, charlotteobserver, "What Charlotte’s newest ‘coffee whisperers’ really want you to know," 13 July 2017
Joe—this four-shot-espresso-drinking, fluent-Spanish-speaking, 36-year-old redhead—is the one who ended that slump.

— matt viser, Town & Country, "Meet the Next President Kennedy," 6 July 2017
From 2 to 5 p.m., customers can get a complimentary second iced espresso drink of equal or lesser value.

— danielle tullo, Cosmopolitan, "Alert: You Can Get Free Starbucks This Week," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'espresso.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of espresso

Italian (caffè) espresso, probably literally, coffee made on the spot at the customer's request

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First Known Use: 1945

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ESPRESSO Defined for English Language Learners

espresso

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noun

Definition of espresso for English Language Learners

: strong coffee that is made by forcing steam through finely ground roasted coffee beans

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Spanish Central: Translation of espresso Nglish: Translation of espresso for Spanish speakers

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espresso

Definition of espresso

espresso was our Word of the Day on 11/03/2012. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of espresso from the Web

Origin and Etymology of espresso

ESPRESSO Defined for English Language Learners

espresso

Definition of espresso for English Language Learners

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