espresso

[e-spres-oh]

noun

plural

espressos 

1. a strong coffee prepared by forcing live steam under pressure, or boiling water, through ground dark-roast coffee beans.

2. a cup of this coffee.

espresso

/ ɛˈsprɛsəʊ /

noun

1. strong coffee made by forcing steam or boiling water through ground coffee beans

2. an apparatus for making coffee in this way

Word History and Origins

Origin of espresso¹

First recorded in 1940–45; from Italian (caffè) espresso “pressed (coffee),” past participle of esprimere “to press out,” from Latin exprimere; express ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of espresso¹

C20: Italian, short for caffè espresso, literally: pressed coffee

Example Sentences

The company offers original espresso drinks, including the “Caramelizer” and “Cocomo,” as well as frozen blended coffee, energy drinks and matcha.

From Los Angeles Times

TJ’s Maple Flavored Espresso Black Tea Blend is made with “a blend of select black & herbal tea leaves, natural maple flavor, and ground espresso beans,” according to TJ’s.

From Salon

I sat at my final breakfast, a perfect double espresso breathed its steam, the bread still warm, the smear glistened and pooled in the nooks.

From Salon

"We are talking about three, four shots of espresso in one of these things. Loads of sugar. So an absolute nightmare," he said in a video posted on X last year.

From BBC

I only drink espresso drinks, which is a fact about me, which is very boring.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• caffeine 
• cappuccino 

When To Use

What does espresso mean?

Espresso is a kind of strong coffee made by forcing steam or boiling water through ground, dark-roast coffee beans.The word espresso often refers to a cup of espresso, as in I like to have an espresso after dinner.It can also refer to an espresso machine, as in I got an espresso so now I can make my favorite drinks at home. Espresso is so strong that it’s usually served in a very small cup. Sometimes, people have a “shot” of espresso by itself or added to their coffee to make it stronger.A cappuccino is espresso with foamed milk.A somewhat common variant of espresso is expresso. More about that below.Example: When it comes to coffee, I love espresso—the stronger the better!