ice cream

American  

noun

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

---

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

---

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

"If the toffee's really hot and the ice cream melts on top, it's really good."

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Shoppers weren’t in the mood to pay more for staples such as coffee, chocolate, and ice cream as inflation squeezed their wallets.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

The shop sells soft-serve ice cream, bubble teas, and shakes.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

"My ancestors came over from Scotland and started making ice cream in their kitchen," she said.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

"Who here thinks they can make an ice cream that'll rock our worlds?"

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene

Related Words

• frozen yogurt
• sherbet
• sorbet