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

Shoppers weren’t in the mood to pay more for staples such as coffee, chocolate, and ice cream as inflation squeezed their wallets.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Todd filled his time eating ice cream while working at Cold Stone Creamery and producing music from his childhood bedroom.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 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

McGroggan's was famous for its homemade ice cream.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

There were a few souvenir shops, a general store, and an ice cream place called Miss Sunshine’s.

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

Related Words

• frozen yogurt
• sherbet
• sorbet