ice cream

American  

noun

1. a frozen food containing cream or milk and butterfat, sugar, flavoring, and sometimes eggs.

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ice cream British  

noun

1. a kind of sweetened frozen liquid, properly made from cream and egg yolks but often made from milk or a custard base, flavoured in various ways

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Etymology

Origin of ice cream

First recorded in 1735–45

Compare meaning

How does ice-cream compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sorbet vs. ice cream
• custard vs. ice cream
• ice milk vs. ice cream
• frozen custard vs. ice cream

Example Sentences

Outside the newsroom, she enjoys reading, soft-serve ice cream and spending time with her family.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

Mixue, which built its business around ultra-low-cost milk tea and ice cream, now has tens of thousands of stores, most operated by franchisees.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Spoon the warm blueberry sauce over the top and finish with whipped cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire was named Britain's cheapest seaside destination for ice cream, with a single scoop costing an average of £1.95.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

What if Laurence went out to get some ice cream and didn’t remember to lock the door to his house and someone broke into it and stole Thor?

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

Related Words

• frozen yogurt
• sherbet
• sorbet