cappuccino

IPA/ˌkæpəˈtʃiːnəʊ/
KK[kˌæpˌutʃˈino]IPA/ˌkæpəˈtʃiːnəʊ/

cappuccino — noun

  • cappuccinosingular
  • cappuccinosplural

1. a hot Italian-style coffee drink made by pouring steamed, bubbly milk over a sma

1.nounA2
Definition

a hot Italian-style coffee drink made by pouring steamed, bubbly milk over a small amount of strong black coffee (espresso), often served in a cup that is smaller than a regular coffee cup

Example

Aiko stops at the café each morning for a cappuccino before her first class.

collocation: stop for a cappuccino (daily routine)

The barista poured a thin layer of foam to finish the cappuccino.

process: pour foam to finish a cappuccino

Common collocations
  • order a cappuccino
  • make a cappuccino
  • drink a cappuccino
  • cappuccino with extra foam
  • iced cappuccino
  • cappuccino machine

Grammar Patterns

a cappuccino (countable)

cappuccino (uncountable)

Usage Note

Cappuccino is commonly countable when ordering by the cup (e.g., 'two cappuccinos, please') and uncountable when talking about the drink in general ('I prefer cappuccino to latte'). The standard Italian spelling has two 'p's and two 'c's — a common learner mistake is to write 'cappucino' (one 'c').

Common Mistakes

I ordered a cappucino with extra foam.
I ordered a cappuccino with extra foam.
The Italian word has two 'p's and two 'c's; the most frequent spelling error is dropping one 'c'.
Can I have a cappuccino without coffee?
Can I have a hot milk with foam?
A cappuccino always contains espresso; what you are thinking of is steamed milk with foam.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Cappuccino, latte, and mocha are all espresso-based coffee drinks, but they differ in milk content and flavouring. A cappuccino has equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam, giving it a thick, bubbly top layer. A latte contains more steamed milk and less foam, making it creamier and less intense. A mocha is a latte with chocolate syrup or powder added. Espresso is the base for all three — a very small, strong serving of black coffee without any milk. So if you want a light, foamy coffee in the morning, order a cappuccino; for something smoother and milkier, choose a latte; and for a chocolate flavour, pick a mocha.

latteespresso ↗mocha

Common collocations

Nouns

  • cup of cappuccino
  • barista makes a cappuccino

Adverbs

  • freshly made

Phrases

  • cappuccino machine

Prepositions

Etymology

ItalianEnglish

The word cappuccino comes from Italian 'cappuccino', a diminutive of 'cappuccio' meaning 'hood'. The drink was named after the Capuchin (Italian: cappuccino) friars because the rich brown colour of espresso mixed with white milk foam resembled the colour of the brown hooded robes worn by members of that religious order.