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:

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

Example Sentences

"The guy who sells clams, the one who sells boiled eggs, the one who sells green mango with salt, the wafer seller, the ice cream seller... What's become of those people?" the 39-year-old asked.

From Barron's • Jul. 11, 2026

One night in college, she remembers eating an entire pizza, a bag of cookies, and a gallon of mint-chip ice cream while standing in her kitchen, before even removing her coat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

"Sometimes a Mars ice cream would join me," she added.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

If there is one thing the world’s oldest democracy is good at, it’s throwing Independence Day parties, hosting outdoor concerts, and filling out state fairs with charmingly schlocky entertainment and ice cream stands.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026

“I think what you’re doing is sweet,” she said, giving them an extra helping of chocolate cake and telling them they could have all the ice cream they wanted.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• frozen yogurt
• sherbet
• sorbet