milkshake
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of milkshake
An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; milk ( def. ) + shake ( def. )
Explanation
A milkshake is a sweet, cold drink made with ice cream. If you want a dessert you can slurp through a straw, you should consider a milkshake. Milkshakes are traditionally made with ice cream, milk, and flavored syrups like chocolate or strawberry, although there are infinite variations. You might prefer frozen yogurt or non-dairy ice cream, or an extra-thick milkshake made without milk. In New England, this sweet treat is often called a "frappe," although if it's coffee-flavored and you're in Rhode Island, it's a "coffee cabinet." Milkshake was first used in the 1880s, when it referred to an adult beverage made with whiskey.
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.
Or the sticker shock of a $5 milkshake or the Big Arch, which can set you back as much as $12.99.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
All that’s missing to complete the mood is someone to deliver us a milkshake.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2025
Engaging with your favorite store these days can involve tracking rewards points in a spreadsheet to determine how to get the maximum value or playing mini games in an app to win a free milkshake.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 17, 2025
If you grab a pre-made latte with your lunch or a protein shake on the way back from the gym you could be hit by the so-called milkshake tax.
From BBC • Nov. 26, 2025
“So it’s not a chocolate milkshake in a convenient cardboard carton?”
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
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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.