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

What was once an occasional snack and ice cream flavor choice became a typical presence in coffee shops, bakeries and grocery stores all over the world.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

Tom Holland and co-star Zendaya visited Inverness during a break in production, popping into an ice cream shop.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

"Everyone should eat their ice cream -- maybe preferably earlier in the day. Small, consistent habits, like maintaining a structured meal routine, may help promote more regular eating patterns and support digestive function over time."

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

The first was in 2020 when she arrested him on suspicion of robbing an ice cream vendor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

“Foggy and cold in summer? Wish we had some of that here. Summer here is HOT, if you hadn’t noticed. Which reminds me, have you had ice cream yet?”

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn

Related Words

• frozen yogurt
• sherbet
• sorbet