What does gelato mean?
Gelato is a loanword from Italian for a smooth, creamy frozen dessert associated with Italy. In English, it commonly refers to an Italian-style ice cream made with a high proportion of milk, relatively little cream and egg yolk, and little incorporated air, giving it a dense, silky texture. It is sold in gelato shops, cafés, restaurants, and gelato parlours, where it may be offered in flavors such as pistachio, hazelnut, chocolate, coffee, and stracciatella. Although it is often translated simply as “ice cream,” the term carries culinary and cultural associations with Italian food service and artisan-style frozen desserts. The word is especially useful when a speaker wants to distinguish a particular style or presentation of frozen dessert from ordinary packaged ice cream.
nounA smooth, creamy Italian-style frozen dessert, typically made with milk, sugar, and flavorings, and served in scoops.
- A smooth, creamy Italian-style frozen dessert, usually made from milk, sugar, and flavorings and served in scoops.
"We stopped at a neighborhood gelato shop for a scoop of pistachio gelato."
"The café offers gelato in flavors such as hazelnut, stracciatella, and espresso."
"After dinner, we shared a small bowl of chocolate gelato."
The plural is uncommon; gelato is normally used as a mass noun, while gelatos can refer to multiple individual servings or varieties.
"The shop sells gelatos in seasonal fruit flavors."
The word gelato literally means “frozen” in Italian, yet it names one of the world's most indulgent treats.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gelato come from?
English gelato comes from Italian gelato, literally “frozen,” the past participle of gelare, “to freeze.” Italian gelare derives from Latin gelare, meaning “to freeze” or “make cold.” The same Latin root underlies related English words such as gel, gelatin, jelly, and congeal.
How gelato is actually used
Gelato is a standard English loanword, especially common in restaurant, café, and travel contexts. In English it is often used for Italian-style frozen desserts, while “ice cream” remains the broader everyday term.
Easily confused with gelato
Gelato is an Italian-style frozen dessert traditionally made with more milk and less cream and egg yolk than many ice creams, and it is usually denser and softer.