Latte
coffee drink
Latte () or caffè latte (Italian: [kaffe(l)ˈlatte]), also known as caffellatte, caffelatte, or rarely caffè e latte, is a coffee drink of Italian origin made with espresso coffee and steamed milk, traditionally served in a glass.
Definition
A caffè latte consists of one or more shots of espresso coffee, served in a glass (or sometimes a cup) to which hot steamed milk is added. The difference between a caffè latte and a cappuccino is that the cappuccino is served in a small 140 mL (5 US fl oz) cup with a layer of thick foam on top of the milk, and a caffè latte is served in a larger 230 mL (8 US fl oz) glass (or cup), without the layer of thick foam. A caffè latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste. The way the milk is steamed for a caffè latte produces very fine bubbles incorporated in the hot milk; this microfoam can be poured in such a way as to form patterns in the white microfoam and brown crema, a technique known as latte art. The texture of the microfoam changes the taste and feel of the drink.
A similar drink is the latte macchiato, which is also served in a glass, but the espresso is added to the glass after the steamed milk. In Italy milky coffee drinks such as caffè latte, latte macchiato, and cappuccino are often prepared for breakfast only. In the United States, a latte is often heavily sweetened, usually with 3% or more of refined white sugar, artificial sweeteners or agave syrup.
Etymology
In Italian latte, an everyday word, means 'milk'; ordering a "latte" in Italy results in a glass of milk.
“Latte” enters the record as coffee drink. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Latte, coffee and drink can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Latte” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Latte, coffee and drink provides the most credible route into that argument.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q841774. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Latte”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Latte primary sources, Latte archive and Latte research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Latte”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Latte” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.