espresso

noun

espres·​so e-ˈspre-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce espresso (audio)
variants or less commonly expresso
plural espressos also expressos
1
: coffee brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground usually darkly roasted coffee beans
2
: a cup of espresso

Examples of espresso in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To set the scene, Eddie Hudson, a bartender, would blast the steam valves on the two espresso machines and dim the lights. Penelope Green, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 This will allow the machine to automatically adjust to the pressure and flow-rate to properly brew the specific type of coffee (like higher pressure for espresso versus lower pressure for drip). Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 The house Martini features garlic-bread vodka made in-house and extra-large olives, while the Belmar Special turns an espresso Martini into a highball. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024 Coffee for espresso is just regular old coffee that's ground very fine. Jaina Grey, WIRED, 7 Mar. 2024 The top qualification for getting hired at Mostra isn’t pulling a good espresso shot. Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 The chain has reportedly released a new espresso drink in China to celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year that also includes pork sauce and a garnish of pork breast meat. Chris Morris, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024 The shop sells espresso drinks and drip coffee made with beans from Liberty’s Hammerhand Coffee, as well as baked goods from wholesale bakery Scratch KC. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 The fresh nutmeg was grated atop the final craft cocktail pairing, a take on an espresso martini. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'espresso.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near espresso

Cite this Entry

“Espresso.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espresso. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

espresso

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

More from Merriam-Webster on espresso

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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