frappe
noun
a milkshake made with ice cream.
frappe
1 American
[frap]
/ fræp /
noun
Northeastern U.S. (chiefly Eastern New England).
frappé
2
American
[fra-pey, fr a -pey]
/ fræˈpeɪ, fraˈpeɪ /
noun
-
frappés
plural
-
a fruit juice mixture frozen to a mush, to be served as a dessert, appetizer, or relish.
-
an after-dinner drink consisting of a liqueur, as crème de menthe, poured over cracked or shaved ice.
-
Ballet. a beating of the toe of the working foot against the ankle of the supporting foot.
adjective
verb (used with object)
frappéed,
frappéing
frappé
British
/ ˈfræpeɪ, frape /
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of frappe1
see origin at frappé
Origin of frappé2
1840–50; < French: past participle of frapper to ice, strike
Explanation
If you live in New England, a frappe is a delicious, creamy, frozen drink — in other words, it's a milkshake. Order a frappe at a diner in Idaho, however, and you'll probably get a confused look. The meaning of the word frappe varies depending on what part of the world you're in. In Massachusetts or Maine, ordering a chocolate frappe will result in a milkshake: ice cream that's blended with syrup and sometimes milk which you can sip through a straw. In other areas, a frappe is a frozen coffee drink, a variation on fruity shaved ice, or even a crispy pastry. The French source is frappé, "made cold with ice."
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.
See Examples For:
By 8 a.m., she’s out the door, headed first to McDonald’s for a caramel frappe and then to the post office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
Meanwhile Costa Coffee's chocolate fudge brownie frappe mocha with oat milk had 42.6g of sugar in the survey.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2023
A frappuccino is a portmanteau of "frappe" and "cappuccino" that was first served in a New England coffee shop chain owned by coffee entrepreneur George Howell, per HomeGrounds, a blog that covers all things coffee.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2023
Its supercharged second season, which premieres Monday night, slams our moment’s hottest topics into a blender and hits frappe.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2016
The dignified frappe which he received in way of honorarium for his university lecture had its advantages.
From Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 09 Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Reformers by Elbert Hubbard
Hoping to inspire her UK followers to experiment with the vegetable, she made a sweetcorn latte inspired by a frappé drink she'd had on her trip, using coconut milk, blended sweetcorn and espresso.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
So there you have it: Next time you're craving a frappé on a warm summer day, take a trip to your own kitchen — and save yourself that trip to Starbucks.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2023
Wash it down with a coffee frappé or fresh soursop juice.
From New York Times ● Mar. 12, 2020
If you’re feeling really carefree, you can wash down this Korean carny food with a matcha Oreo frappé, but I wouldn’t advise it.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 1, 2019
Sometimes ay s'pose yu vork long hours, And ant get wery fancy pay; Den yu can't buying stacks of flowers And feed yure girl in gude café, And drenk yin rickies and frappé.
From The Norsk Nightingale Being the Lyrics of a "Lumberyack" by William F. Kirk
As a result, frappés are regarded to be a Greek specialty and are served as frothy coffee poured over ice cubes.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2023
When I learned that matcha was the tea used to make the green-tea frappés and lattes served at Starbucks, I started experimenting at home.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 17, 2021
The slushy-sweet frappés at Okamoto Kitchen, a food truck in Los Angeles, begin with ice — not plain, but enriched with heavy cream, milk powder and simple syrup.
From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2017
The menu has burgers, of course, but also sandwiches, salads, frappés and such dishes as sloppy Joes and mac and cheese inspired by the brothers’ mom, Alma.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 28, 2016
The freezing of frappés is accomplished rapidly, for, as will be observed from Table I, the proportion of ice and salt used is 1 to 1.
From Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume 4: Salads and Sandwiches; Cold and Frozen Desserts; Cakes, Cookies and Puddings; Pastries and Pies by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
