# affogato

/ˌɑfəˈɡɑtoʊ/ (US) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/affogato
Updated: 2026-09-20

## Definition

an Italian dessert made by pouring a shot of hot espresso coffee over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For teachers: an Italian dessert consisting of a scoop of vanilla gelato or ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso.

## Examples

- I ordered an affogato for dessert after dinner.
- The café serves a traditional affogato, using freshly brewed espresso and house-made vanilla bean gelato.
- For a sophisticated twist on the classic affogato, the pastry chef added a splash of amaretto liqueur and a sprinkle of crushed amaretti biscuits.

## Usage notes

- Often treated as countable when ordering ('two affogatos'), but can function uncountably when referring to the style of dessert.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.