Americano

noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A drink made of espresso coffee diluted with hot water. countable, uncountable

    "“No, the coffee. Do you want a cup of Americano?” I groaned. Welcome to Europe. “Can't I just get a cup of regular coffee? A little cream, a little sugar?” […] “An Americano is a shot of espresso with hot water added.” “I don't know why they call it Americano. No one in America drinks espresso and hot water.”"

  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of americano. alt-of, countable, uncountable

    "Formerly used only in Italy and Seattle, it includes such tongue activators as latte, lungo, cappuccino, ristretto, macchiato, mochaccino and Americano."

  3. 3
    A cocktail made with Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda. countable, uncountable

    "The waiters wore striped waistcoats and green baize aprons. Bond ordered an Americano and examined the sprinkling of overdressed customers, mostly from Paris he guessed, who sat talking with focus and vivacity, creating that theatrically clubbable atmosphere of l'heure de l'aperitif."

  4. 4
    An American. countable

    "I hear that your people love the Americanos, so much even that they always yield to them, and would almost kiss their boots, which is not dignified for a great nation. Do the Americanos love your people? Have they not still in their pockets the surplus of the millions of pesetas given to them when they complained of the ship Alabama?"

Etymology

1970s, from Italian (caffè) americano or American Spanish americano (“American (coffee)”). Cocktail sense from Italian americano.

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