espresso
nounUK /ɛˈspɹɛsəʊ/ · US /ɛˈspɹɛsoʊ/
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian espresso, from caffè espresso (“pressed-out coffee”), form of esprimere (“to press out”), from Latin exprimere, from ex- (“out”) + primere (“to press”). Some sources derive the term from “expressly (‘individually, directly’) made for the customer”, or as “fast” (Italian espresso also meaning “fast”, as in English express (“fast”)) but these are not widely credited. The original term for modern espresso (coffee extracted under pressure) was cream coffee, from Italian caffè crema (variant: crema caffè), due to the crema, and was seen on early Gaggia machines, but this term is no longer used.
A concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee.
- It is no surprise that over the last decade the more moneyed elements of the coffee industry have been trying to figure out how to simplify espresso brewing to the point that a consumer can produce a properly rich, smooth-tasting espresso shot without struggling through a complicated process that can be as daunting as upgrading to Vista or assembling a glass-fronted display case from Ikea. […] To conclude, here in tabular form is a summary of our ratings of espressos produced from thirty pod, capsule and disc blends.2009 January 19, Kenneth Davids, “Convenience First: Espresso Pods and Capsules”, in Coffee Review, archived from the original on 17 Jan 2025:
A drink that includes espresso as an ingredient.
- Synonyms
- 'spro
- Derived terms
- espressoed, espresso-speak, espressotini, sexpresso
- Related terms
- espresso breve