latte
Americannoun
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Also called caffè latte. hot espresso with steamed milk, usually topped with foamed milk.
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tea made with steamed milk, usually topped with foamed milk.
noun
Etymology
Origin of latte
First recorded in 1990–95; from Italian (caffè) latte “(coffee with) milk,” from Latin lac (stem lact- ); cognate with French lait, Portuguese leite, Spanish leche
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Explanation
A latte is a milky espresso drink you can order at most American cafes. Many lattes have delicate patterns or pictures drawn in the creamy foam on top. The full name of a latte is "caffe latte," which means "milk coffee" in Italian. Other countries have variations on this idea, from France's "café au lait" to Germany's "Milchkaffee." While Caffè latte was used in Italy for milky coffee drinks made in people's homes, it wasn't found until very recently on cafe menus — the latte is more of an American invention. If you order a latte in Italy, in fact, what you'll get is a glass of milk.
Vocabulary lists containing latte
Brown
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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.
Starbucks turns the Pumpkin Spice Latte into a sign of the season each fall.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025
Laura Kirk-Francis from the Latte Firm podcast has selected midfielder Declan Rice as the side's key player.
From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025
That being said, the Iced Velvet Latte was incredibly delicious.
From Salon • Jul. 27, 2025
Drinks included Hot Spiced Apple Cider made from apples, cinnamon and cloves; Cranberry Ginger Mocktail and Pumpkin Spice Latte — a “homemade version to keep the pumpkin vibes going,” per the chatbot.
From Salon • Nov. 23, 2024
The London sparrows were chirping on the skylight over my head, and I could faintly hear the Italian criers in the front street: "Latte!"
From The Woman Thou Gavest Me Being the Story of Mary O'Neill by Caine, Hall, Sir
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.
