barista

American

[buh-ris-tuh, -ree-stuh, bah-rees-tah] / bəˈrɪs tə, -ˈri stə, bɑ ris tɑ /

noun

plural

baristas, baristi

a person who is specially trained in the making and serving of coffee drinks, as in a coffee bar.

barista British

/ bəˈrɪstə /

noun

a person who makes and serves coffee in a coffee bar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of barista

First recorded in 1980–85; from Italian: “bartender,” from bar bar ¹ ( def. ) (a loanword from English) + Italian -ista -ist ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On a cobbled street lined by timber-framed buildings in Canterbury, barista Ivan Galt estimates his takings are 40% down since news of the outbreak.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

“We are in conversation with the company about the road back to the bargaining table,” barista Jasmine Leli, one of the union’s bargaining delegates, said in a Friday statement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Amir, a 20-year-old barista, wasn’t letting thoughts of the future ruin his mood now.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

When she finished school, Anastasia didn't know what she wanted to be, so she took up a job as a barista.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

Toward the end of high school, I landed a barista gig at a popular local cafe, and Kia came to work with me almost daily.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023