espresso

noun espres·so \ e-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō \

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

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

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

See espresso defined for English-language learners

See espresso defined for kids

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

Recent Examples of espresso from the Web

Pair breakfast with locally sourced espresso, freshly brewed tea (iced or hot), house chai tea or opt for morning cocktails (mimosa varieties, Irish coffee, house Bloody Marys and more).

— special to the oregonian, OregonLive.com, "Gerry Frank's picks: Historic buildings have new life in Dayton," 7 Apr. 2018
Breakfast Republic is gearing up for Easter Sunday with specialty drinks like The Peep Show Mocha, crafted from espresso, milk, marshmallow syrup, mocha, whipped cream and garnished with a Peeps candy.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "76 local restaurants will be hoppin' with breakfast, lunch and dinner specials on Easter Sunday," 27 Mar. 2018
Lupsac, wearing spectacles and a baseball cap, looks up from the La Marzocco Strada that churns out the café’s top-notch espresso, and greets them back.

— alia akkam, Vogue, "Transylvania Sheds the Shadow of Dracula With Galleries, Cocktails, and Coffeeshops in Cluj-Napoca," 9 Mar. 2018
Once a base is selected, customers choose their flavor, ranging between Nutella, fresh banana, cheesecake, espresso, Cap'n Crunch and more.

— tracy maness, Houston Chronicle, "Creamistry brings nitrogen ice cream to Town & Country," 6 Mar. 2018
The Cherry Mocha features hot espresso poured over a slightly sweet mocha sauce and candied cherry syrup.

— leada gore, AL.com, "Valentine's Day 2018: Restaurant deals, discounts from Chick-fil-A, Hooters, Krispy Kreme, more," 14 Feb. 2018
Located in Keller Town Center, Summer Moon Coffee will offer espresso, cappuccino and cortados, along with an array of beverages made with Moon Milk — a blend of seven secret ingredients that combine for a sweet cream.

— compiled by celestina blok, star-telegram, "Restaurant news for February," 8 Feb. 2018
Crust is currently between dessert chefs, but perhaps a little gelato and maybe even an after-dinner espresso would be a nice interim gesture.

— beth segal, cleveland.com, "Crust Tremont: Monster pizza slices and more in Tremont," 2 Feb. 2018
The new espresso will be available in more than 8,000 of the chain’s U.S. locations.

— hallie detrick, Fortune, "Starbucks Has a New 'Blonde' Espresso for People Who Don't Drink Espresso," 9 Jan. 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1945

See Words from the same year

ESPRESSO Defined for English Language Learners

espresso

noun

Definition of espresso for English Language Learners

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

Learn More about espresso

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

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up espresso? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

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

Learn More about espresso

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

bloviate

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

What the #@*% Is a ‘Grawlix'?

'Altho' vs. 'Although'

Ask the Editors

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Words of the Year: 1066

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

More Confusing Words—Quiz

Name That Thing

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Trending: Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

The Adverb: A Most Fascinating POS

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

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

Learn More about espresso

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Trending: Trump: Den of Thieves and 'Lowlifes'

The Adverb: A Most Fascinating POS

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes