Crema
/ˈkrɛm.ə/noun
A golden-brown foam formed on the surface of freshly extracted espresso.
Did you know?Crema’s ancient linguistic relatives include chrism, the sacred anointing oil used in Christian ritual, because both trace back to a Greek root meaning “to rub” or “anoint.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ghrei-
“To rub, smear, or anoint with a substance”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χρίω (khríō)
“To rub on, anoint, or apply ointment”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χρῖσμα (khrîsma)
“Anointing substance, ointment, or sacred oil”
Classical Latin
Latin
crēma
“Cream or a thick substance”
Medieval Italian
Italian
crema
“Cream”
20th Century
English
crema
“The aromatic foam produced on espresso by emulsified oils and carbon dioxide”