# macchiato

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌmɑkiˈɑtoʊ/ · frequency rank #63,774

## Definitions
1. Espresso topped with steamed milk.
2. Ellipsis of latte macchiato.

## Etymology
From Italian caffè macchiato (“stained coffee”), from macchiato (“stained, marked”), as the coffee is “marked” with a spot of milk. From Latin maculātus (“stained”), form of macula (“stain”).
Cognate to English macula (“[dark] spot”), French maculé.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/macchiato