strong black coffee brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans
"After a long night, he enjoyed a steaming cup of espresso to wake himself up before work."
A concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee.
"The barista pulled a fresh shot of espresso, its rich crema signaling that the hot water had been forced through the grounds at high pressure."
In plain English: Espresso is a strong, concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground beans under high pressure.
"He grabbed an espresso to wake up before his morning meeting."
Usage: Espresso refers specifically to the small, strong cup of coffee made with pressurized extraction rather than any other type of brew or a single shot used as an ingredient in larger drinks like lattes. It is distinct from regular drip coffee due to its intense flavor and creamy texture created by the brewing method.
Borrowed from Italian espresso, from caffè espresso ("pressed-out coffee"), form of esprimere ("to press out"), from Latin exprimere, from ex- ("out") + primere ("to press"). Some sources derive the term from "expressly ('individually, directly') made for the customer", or as "fast" (Italian espresso also meaning "fast", as in English express ("fast")) but these are not widely credited.