latte

American

[lah-tey, laht-te] / ˈlɑ teɪ, ˈlɑt tɛ /

noun

Also called caffè latte. hot espresso with steamed milk, usually topped with foamed milk.
tea made with steamed milk, usually topped with foamed milk.

latte British

/ ˈlɑːteɪ, ˈlæteɪ /

noun

coffee made with hot milk

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of latte

First recorded in 1990–95; from Italian (caffè) latte “(coffee with) milk,” from Latin lac (stem lact- ); cognate with French lait, Portuguese leite, Spanish leche

Compare meaning

How does latte compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

cappuccino vs. latte

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sophie Downing only intended to buy a matcha latte when she visited her local coffee shop with a £10 gift card.

From BBC

But, given its growth-stock valuation, bridging the gap between the 8 a.m. latte and the 3 p.m. energy boost isn’t just a goal.

From The Wall Street Journal

There is something deeply comforting about building a meal around a bag that costs less than a latte.

From Salon

Swiping through Tinder in Saudi Arabia, a profile of a woman in her mid-20s includes photos of her manicured hands holding flowers, a matcha latte, a tennis court and some art.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sophomore Gabriel Berger went out with his first match over matcha lattes in Palo Alto.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023