frappe

Other forms: frappes

If you live in New England, a frappe is a delicious, creamy, frozen drink — in other words, it's a milkshake. Order a frappe at a diner in Idaho, however, and you'll probably get a confused look.

The meaning of the word frappe varies depending on what part of the world you're in. In Massachusetts or Maine, ordering a chocolate frappe will result in a milkshake: ice cream that's blended with syrup and sometimes milk which you can sip through a straw. In other areas, a frappe is a frozen coffee drink, a variation on fruity shaved ice, or even a crispy pastry. The French source is frappé, "made cold with ice."

Definitions of frappe

1. noun

   thick milkshake containing ice cream
   type of:

   milk shake, milkshake, shake

   frothy drink of milk and flavoring and sometimes fruit or ice cream
2. noun

   a frozen dessert with fruit flavoring (especially one containing no milk)
   synonyms: ice

   types:

   sorbet, water ice

   an ice containing no milk but having a mushy consistency; usually made from fruit juice

   type of:

   frozen dessert

   any of various desserts prepared by freezing
3. noun

   liqueur poured over shaved ice
   type of:

   drink

   a single serving of a beverage