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

For years, bitcoin behaved like a tech stock that had downed a triple espresso.

Read more on MarketWatch

He has founded a company called Niraxx which markets a headband called a neuro espresso, which is designed to be worn for up to 20 minutes a day.

Read more on BBC

Participants were randomly assigned to either drink at least one cup of caffeinated coffee or an espresso shot each day, or to completely avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages for six months.

Read more on Science Daily

No doubt many who attempt the home cafe already possess an espresso machine.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A symphonic mix of an espresso machine’s hiss, a ravenous juicer’s whir and ebullient Spanish welcomed me at my new favorite, Las Olas Cafe.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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!