What does doppio mean?
A doppio is a double shot of espresso — the concentrated coffee drink produced by forcing hot water through finely ground beans under pressure. The term comes from Italian, where 'doppio' means 'double,' and it entered English through the vocabulary of espresso bars and specialty coffee culture. In practice, ordering a doppio means the barista will dose twice as much ground coffee into the portafilter, extracting roughly two fluid ounces of espresso instead of one. The word is common on café menus and among coffee enthusiasts, though many speakers simply say 'double espresso.' A well-made doppio is prized for its intense flavor and the rich, golden crema on its surface, and it serves as the base for larger milk drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos.
nounA double shot of espresso, made with twice the usual amount of ground coffee and yielding roughly twice the volume.
- A double shot of espresso, prepared with twice the standard dose of ground coffee.
"She ordered a doppio to power herself through the afternoon shift."
"The barista pulled a flawless doppio with a thick layer of crema."
"He switched from cappuccino to a straight doppio after his morning workout."
The naturalized English plural 'doppios' is standard; the Italian-style plural 'doppie' is occasionally seen but rare in English.
"The café sells dozens of doppios every morning before nine."
In Italian cafés, simply asking for an 'espresso' gets you a single shot — if you want what most Americans call a regular coffee kick, you have to say 'doppio.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of doppio
Doppio was borrowed directly from Italian, in which it means 'double.' The Italian word descends from Latin 'duplus,' meaning twofold, via the Vulgar Latin form '*duplus' that also gave Old French 'dooble' and eventually English 'double.' English adopted 'doppio' in the late twentieth century as espresso culture spread from Italy to Britain and North America, applying the word specifically to a double shot of espresso.
How doppio is actually used
Doppio is a loanword from Italian used chiefly in specialty-coffee contexts; it carries a slightly connoisseurial tone compared with the plainer 'double espresso,' which is more common in everyday speech. It is normally left unitalicized in English print.
Easily confused with doppio
Espresso is the standard single shot, whereas a doppio is specifically a double shot made from twice the coffee.