barista

[buh-ris-tuh, -ree-stuh, bah-rees-tah]

noun

plural

baristas, baristi 

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

barista

/ bəˈrɪstə /

noun

1. a person who makes and serves coffee in a coffee bar

Word History and Origins

Origin of barista¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of barista¹

C20: Italian: literally, bartender

Example Sentences

When your drink is ready—in four minutes or less—the barista’s there again, handing it to you.

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I asked the barista, hoping my guess was correct.

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Blue Bottle coffee shops in the Bay Area have unionized, becoming the latest locations to be swept up in the wave of barista organizing that has surged across the U.S. in recent years.

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And perhaps best of all, the team had their own barista who brought along his dog Reggie.

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She is retraining as a barista and dreams of starting her own coffee business.

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