espresso
/ɛˈsprɛsoʊ/
noun
Origin
Italian
esprimere — to press out
Overview
Meaning Now
- A concentrated form of coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely-ground coffee beans.
Literal older meaning
pressed out
Language path
Latin → Italian → English
Earliest form
caffè espresso
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term emerged in Italy during the late 19th century with the invention of machines that used steam pressure to brew coffee faster than the drip method. The 'express' nature of the brew was both a reference to the speed of preparation and the fact that it was brewed specifically for an individual customer.
Evolution
- Latin
exprimere
“to press out”
- Italian (19th century)
espresso
“pressed out; made to order”
Originally referred to coffee made specifically for an individual customer using steam pressure.
Connections
Word parts
es-
prefix
out
press
root
to press
-o
ending
past participle masculine singular
Related across languages
French
exprès
on purpose/express
Spanish
expreso
express (train/mail)
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Related to espresso
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.