half-and-half
Americannoun
-
a mixture of two things, especially in equal or nearly equal proportions.
-
milk and light cream combined in equal parts, especially for table use.
-
Chiefly British. a mixture of two malt liquors, especially porter and ale.
adjective
adverb
noun
-
a mixture of half one thing and half another thing
-
a drink consisting of equal parts of beer and stout, or equal parts of bitter and mild
adjective
adverb
Etymology
Origin of half-and-half
First recorded in 1705–15
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.
Ina Garten claims the same, slightly zhushing up her eggs with half-and-half, goat cheese and chopped chives.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
Villa supporter Adam Selway turned up for the match wearing a half-and-half scarf in the colours of the home side and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
From BBC • Nov. 6, 2025
Options range from iced coffee with protein powder to the Annihilator, with chocolate macadamia-nut syrup and half-and-half.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025
“I’m kind of in a half-and-half place. Even police have guns,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2023
This half-and-half companionship could not fully content her; still she was happy and the time passed swiftly.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
![]()
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.