ice cream

American  

noun

1. a frozen food containing cream or milk and butterfat, sugar, flavoring, and sometimes eggs.

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ice cream British  

noun

1. a kind of sweetened frozen liquid, properly made from cream and egg yolks but often made from milk or a custard base, flavoured in various ways

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Etymology

Origin of ice cream

First recorded in 1735–45

Compare meaning

How does ice-cream compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sorbet vs. ice cream
• custard vs. ice cream
• ice milk vs. ice cream
• frozen custard vs. ice cream

Example Sentences

Nestlé is exploring selling well-known brands, including sparkling-water company San Pellegrino and the rest of its stake in ice cream maker Häagen-Dazs.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

An "ice cream swirl" she called it, after fearing she had blown her chance.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

It’s harder than ever to buy the rare metal gallium from China for your high-tech military radar system—but it’s easier than ever to buy Chinese soft-serve ice cream in the U.S.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

"My ancestors came over from Scotland and started making ice cream in their kitchen," she said.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

After the parade ends, the street peddlers appear, selling honey-and-fig and rosewater-and-pistachio flavors of ice cream, so refreshing in the unusually warm weather.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Related Words

• frozen yogurt
• sherbet
• sorbet