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

To work around this, some Gen Z ravers are swapping vodka shots for espresso shots and chasing their weekly serotonin buzz beneath café lights rather than nightclub strobes. — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 25 July 2026

Diners here can feast upon things like duck-fat frites for brunch and espresso-rubbed steaks for dinner. — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 23 July 2026

This variant of the Original Stout was aged in bourbon barrels, then finished in rum barrels with espresso, cocoa nibs and vanilla. — Don Tse, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Signature cocktails followed through the night, including a spicy margarita for O’Neale and a Reposado espresso martini for Hurd. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 20 July 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

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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