affogato

American  

[ah-faw-gah-toh] / ˌɑ fɔˈgɑ toʊ /

noun

1. an Italian dessert of vanilla gelato with hot espresso poured over the top.

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Etymology

Origin of affogato

First recorded in 1990–95; from Italian: literally, “drowned, smothered,” past participle of affogare, from Vulgar Latin affōcāre, Latin offōcāre “to choke, throttle,” equivalent to prefix ob- + -fōcāre, verbal derivative of faucēs “throat, gullet” (plural only), with Vulgar Latin substitution of af- (from ad- ) for Latin of- (from ob- ); see origin at af- ( def. ), of- ( def. ), fauces ( def. )

Example Sentences

Illy’s instant coffee is also exceptional in desserts, like chocolate cake, tiramisu, or affogato.

From Salon • Nov. 6, 2025

I really love making an affogato with a dash of soy sauce.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2024

Of course, I am not in any way a purist, and the scoop of vanilla you’ll find in most local coffee shops is a perfectly lovely American riff on the affogato.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2022

And an affogato should be consumed quickly, before the ice cream has a chance to completely melt, to get the full effect.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 13, 2022

According to the Tuscany-based food writer Emiko Davies, in Italy an affogato could be plain crema gelato drowned in chocolate or cherry syrup, or hazelnut gelato drowned in Marsala.

From New York Times • Aug. 11, 2021