40 Must-Know Coffee Terms, Decoded

With the rise of Starbucks, local coffee shops, and high-end home brewing devices, ordering a simple 'regular coffee' has become a thing of the past. The array of sizes, roasts, and brewing techniques can turn the simple act of getting your caffeine fix into a bewildering experience.

If you’re passionate about coffee but don’t want to dive deep into Italian terminology, this glossary of common coffee terms is for you. While not comprehensive, it covers the essentials you’ll likely encounter during your morning coffee run. (If terms like anaerobic fermentation—a method of brewing coffee in an oxygen-free environment to enhance acidity—are already familiar, this list might be too basic for you.)

AeroPress

The AeroPress is a trademarked single-cup coffee maker that looks like a large syringe or plunger. Users place coffee grounds in the chamber, add hot water to brew, and press the plunger to dispense the coffee into their cup. Its ability to control water temperature and brewing pressure makes it a preferred choice over traditional drip machines for many coffee enthusiasts.

Affogato

An affogato (pronounced “ah-foh-GAH-to”) is a dessert where vanilla ice cream or gelato is drenched in hot espresso. The term affogato, meaning drowned in Italian, describes the dessert’s fate. It’s usually enjoyed with a spoon, though leaving it too long turns it into a drink.

Americano

Looking for a straightforward caffeine boost? Try an Americano, a simple mix of espresso and hot water. The proportions can vary, but it’s usually one-half to one-third espresso. Traditionalists pour the espresso into the cup first, followed by the water. Since the espresso is diluted, an Americano doesn’t necessarily pack more caffeine than a standard cup of coffee.

Arabica

Arabica is one of the two most popular coffee varieties, derived from the Coffea arabica plant. (The other is Coffea canephora, commonly called robusta.) Most commercial coffee is Arabica, with varieties like Bourbon, Typica, and Ethiopian, each reflecting its origin and flavor profile. According to Starbucks, Arabica boasts a “smooth, refined taste,” while robusta is known for its “strong, often harsh flavor, sometimes likened to burnt rubber.” While Starbucks exclusively uses Arabica beans, robusta remains popular for its higher caffeine content and robust flavor, making it ideal for espresso.

Blend

The term blended coffee refers to coffee obtained from multiple regions or suppliers, combining beans with complementary flavors that can’t be achieved with a single type of bean. (See also: Single Origin.)

Café au Lait

A café au lait (“KAF-ay oh-LAY”) combines equal parts brewed coffee and steamed milk. Unlike cappuccinos or other espresso-based drinks, it contains no espresso and usually lacks froth, though exceptions exist.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino (pronounced “kah-uh-CHEE-noh”) is a three-part drink composed of equal portions of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam, resulting in a creamy texture. A dry cappuccino has more foam and less milk, while a wet cappuccino does the opposite. Its cousin, the latte, features more milk and less foam for a smoother taste.

Chemex

A branded pour-over coffee system featuring a large borosilicate glass vessel shaped like a laboratory flask. Ground coffee is placed in a filter, and hot water is poured over it, dripping into the glass. It’s designed to brew multiple cups simultaneously.

Coffee

A drink created from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. The term coffee can also refer to the plant species itself.

Cold Brew

Unlike iced coffee, which is brewed hot and then chilled, cold brew is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water from the beginning. This method is believed to lower acidity and create a smoother, more mellow flavor.

Con Panna

Con panna (pronounced “KOHN PAH-nah”), translating to “with cream” in Italian, is an espresso finished with a dollop of whipped cream. It’s as simple and indulgent as it sounds.

Cortado

A cortado (“cor-TAH-doh”) is an espresso combined with an equal amount of steamed milk, served without any foam or froth.

Crema

The reddish, frothy layer that appears on top of an espresso shot, created when air bubbles blend with the coffee’s natural oils. This is distinct from the creamy foam produced by steamed milk.

Dark Roast

Dark roast describes coffee beans roasted at higher temperatures, producing an oily surface and a bold, smoky taste. (See also: light roast, medium roast, and French roast.)

Decaffeinated (Decaf) Coffee

Coffee that has had most of its caffeine removed through natural or chemical processes. Contrary to popular belief, decaf doesn’t mean completely caffeine-free. The process eliminates roughly 97 percent of caffeine, leaving about 2 milligrams or more per cup. (A regular cup contains around 92–95 milligrams.)

Doppio

Doppio (pronounced “DOH-pee-yoh”) is a double shot of espresso served in one cup. A single shot is referred to as a “solo.”

Drip

A coffee brewing technique where hot water is poured over coffee grounds in a filter, allowing the liquid to drip into a container below. Though not favored by coffee enthusiasts, drip coffee is convenient for making large quantities with minimal effort.

Espresso

Espresso describes a brewing method where finely-ground coffee is tightly packed and brewed under high pressure, producing a concentrated drink with higher caffeine content. (A single shot of espresso contains about 64 milligrams of caffeine, compared to 92 milligrams in a regular cup of coffee, despite its smaller size.) The beans used are often dark-roasted, giving espresso its bold, intense flavor.

Fair Trade

Fair trade denotes coffee produced under specific sustainability and labor standards, ensuring growers and suppliers receive fair minimum prices.

Flat White

A blend of a latte and a cappuccino, a flat white combines espresso with steamed milk, featuring less foam for a smoother, “flat” look. The reduced milk froth allows the espresso flavor to stand out more prominently.

French Press

A brewing technique where ground coffee is steeped in hot water inside a cylindrical container, then separated using a manual plunger. This method retains more of the coffee’s natural oils, resulting in a richer and fuller-bodied flavor compared to other brewing techniques.

French Roast

French roast is a dark roast variety that’s more intense and bitter than others, as the beans undergo a longer roasting process. The extended roasting brings more oils to the surface, which may reduce its shelf life compared to other dark roasts.

Iced Coffee

Iced coffee is made by brewing coffee normally and then cooling it with ice. Unlike cold brew, which uses cold water from the start, Japanese iced coffee involves brewing hot coffee directly over ice for a quick chill.

Instant Coffee

Instant coffee describes dehydrated coffee grounds sold as a powder, which can be rehydrated with hot water. While not ideal for coffee enthusiasts, it boasts a longer shelf life compared to traditional coffee grounds or beans.

Italian Roast

A dark roast coffee typically used for espresso. Some view it as overly roasted, likening its flavor to burnt toast, which can overshadow the beans’ original quality or age.

Latte

Latte (pronounced “LAH-tay”) means milk in Italian. The beverage begins with espresso, incorporates a generous amount of steamed milk—making up about two-thirds of the drink—and is finished with a light layer of milk foam. In contrast, a cappuccino features a more even ratio of espresso to milk.

Light Roast

A roasting technique where coffee beans are processed to retain less oil, resulting in a milder and lighter-bodied coffee.

Lungo

Lungo (“LOONG-oh”), meaning “long,” is an espresso variation where additional water is passed through the coffee grounds for a longer duration, creating a milder yet potentially more bitter flavor. (See also: ristretto.)

Macchiato

A macchiato (“mah-kee-AH-toh”) consists of espresso topped with a dash of foamed or steamed milk. A latte macchiato reverses the order, with espresso poured over steamed milk already in the cup. (In a latte, espresso comes first.) A Ralph Macchio is an actor famous for The Karate Kid.

Medium Roast

A roasting technique that reduces floral notes in coffee beans but doesn’t produce the oily or intense flavors characteristic of dark or French roasts.

Mocha

A latte-inspired beverage created with espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate. Mocha beans are coffee beans naturally infused with a chocolate-like flavor.

Mochaccino

Similar to a mocha, a mochaccino is akin to a latte but includes a hint of chocolate flavoring.

Normale

A standard technique for preparing espresso. (See also: lungo and ristretto.)

Organic Coffee

Organic coffee refers to coffee cultivated without prohibited practices such as radiation or sewage. However, naturally-occurring pesticides, fertilizers, and certain synthetic substances are allowed. If labeled as 100 percent certified organic or certified organic, it complies with U.S. Department of Agriculture standards. Made With Organic indicates that at least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic.

Pour Over

A manual coffee brewing technique where hot water is poured over coffee grounds in a filter. Unlike automatic drip coffee, pour over allows the user to manage the water flow and direction, often using a specialized kettle.

Red Eye

Need a stronger caffeine kick than a standard espresso shot? A red eye combines one shot of espresso with 8 ounces of regular brewed coffee for an extra boost.

Ristretto

Ristretto (pronounced “rih-STREH-toh”) is a variation of espresso made with finely-ground coffee and less water, producing a more concentrated and intense flavor. It can also refer to a coarser grind. (See also: lungo.)

Robusta

Robusta, or C. canephora, is one of the two most widely grown coffee plant species, alongside Arabica. Known for its bold and robust flavor, it’s often favored for espresso despite being stronger and less smooth than Arabica.

Single Origin

Single origin describes coffee that can be sourced to a single crop or geographic region, unlike blended coffee, which combines beans from multiple locations.

Terroir

Terroir (“tehr-WAHR”), a term borrowed from French wine culture, describes the environmental factors influencing coffee growth. Elements like soil composition, rainfall, and altitude can significantly shape the flavor profile.