espresso

noun

espres·​so e-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō 

variants or less commonly expresso

ik-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō 

plural espressos also expressos

1

: a strong-tasting coffee that is brewed by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans and is typically consumed in small servings

2

: a cup of espresso

She ordered two espressos.

Examples of espresso in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Guests take their seats, and Gurjar raises a dirty chai espresso martini for a quick toast. — Mehr Singh, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026

Hailey Bieber Bieber debuted her espresso brown locks during the Saint Laurent show at Paris Fashion Week in September and seems to be sticking with the color for the moment. — Arushi Jacob, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026

New pods In June, Lavazza introduced Tablì in the US, a $129 machine that uses only single-serve espresso tablets made with compressed ground coffee — a shift from its capsules made from plastic and aluminum. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026

Hamilton takes a similar two-step approach, first creating a rich, warm base before applying the deep espresso brown and finishing with a glaze or gloss. — Marci Robin, Allure, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for espresso

• gesso

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

espresso

noun

espres·​so e-ˈspres-ō 

variants also expresso

ik-ˈspres-ō 

plural espressos

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