espresso

noun

espres·​so e-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce espresso (audio)
variants or less commonly
ik-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce espresso (audio)
plural espressos also expressos
1
: a strong-tasting coffee that is brewed by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans and is typically consumed in small servings
2
: a cup of espresso
She ordered two espressos.

Examples of espresso in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sungold makes menus approachable with natural combinations like oysters and rosé, pizza and Pinot, or even an espresso martini with fries, aiming for fun, social dining. — Carissa Chesanek, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 That golden halo atop your espresso? — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 June 2026 Tutto Caffè Gabby Karan de Felice (daughter of Donna Karan) opens her second café spinoff of Tutto Il Giorno in the former Golden Pear space with espresso and light bites. — Nancy Kane, Curbed, 25 June 2026 With this premium espresso machine, making barista-quality coffee drinks at home is easier than ever. — Bestreviews, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for espresso

Word History

Etymology

Italian (caffè) espresso, probably literally, coffee made on the spot at the customer's request

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of espresso was in 1930

Rhymes for espresso

See All Rhymes for espresso

Browse Nearby Words

espressivo
espresso
espringal
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Espresso.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espresso. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

espresso

noun
espres·​so e-ˈspres-ō How to pronounce espresso (audio)
variants also expresso
ik-ˈspres-ō How to pronounce espresso (audio)
plural espressos
: coffee brewed by forcing steam or hot water through finely ground darkly roasted coffee beans

More from Merriam-Webster on espresso

Nglish: Translation of espresso for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of acquisitive

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

More Commonly Mispronounced Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 3
See More

Popular

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All