mousse

American  

[moos] / mus /

noun

1. Cooking.

   1. a sweetened and flavored dessert with a base of whipped cream, beaten egg whites, or both.

      chocolate mousse.

   2. an aspic, unsweetened and containing meat, vegetables, or fish, usually chilled in a mold.

      salmon mousse.

2. a foamy preparation used on the hair to help hold it in place, applied usually to damp hair before grooming or styling and worked in until absorbed.

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mousse British  

/ muːs /

noun

1. a light creamy dessert made with eggs, cream, fruit, etc, set with gelatine

2. a similar dish made from fish or meat

3. the layer of small bubbles on the top of a glass of champagne or other sparkling wine

4. short for styling mousse

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Etymology

Origin of mousse

First recorded in 1890–95; from French: literally, “moss, froth”; partly from Latin (aqua) mulsa “hydromel” (feminine singular of adjective mulsus “mixed with honey, sweet”); partly from Germanic; moss

Explanation

Mousse is a dessert that's made of cream and eggs that have been whipped until they're light and creamy. Don't confuse the dessert mousse with the foamy hair product also called mousse, or else people will want to nibble on your hair after dinner. If you have heavy cream, some eggs, and flavoring — plus a whisk or an electric mixer — you can make mousse. Most mousses are sweet, flavored with chocolate or fruit or peanut butter, but it's also possible to cook a savory mousse, like a salmon mousse or a chicken liver mousse. Because its texture is similar to these foods, the foamy hair product is also called mousse. In Old French, mousse means "froth," but also, unappetizingly, "scum."

Example Sentences

At Batea, each part was prepared separately then layered—a sofrito base, sea-water-cured then lightly smoked scallop, jamón whipped into a silky mousse.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2025

From coffee infused with yuzu to milky mango topped with matcha mousse, these are our favorite picks for over-the-top drinks that taste just as good as they look.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2025

There’s Cereal Milk Cake, filled with cereal milk cheesecake mousse and frosted in a cereal milk frosting.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2025

I like the chicken liver mousse, the mussels and also a nice glass of wine.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2024

“Chocolate mousse, which of course means ‘foam’ and not an antlered cousin of elk, has been a staple of French cuisine since the eighteenth century.”

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein