Wordology, Cappuccino

Espresso, hot milk, and steamed milk foam are ingredients for making a cappuccino. Cappuccino comes from German/Austrian 'kapuziner', and is the diminutive form of cappuccio in Italian, meaning 'hood' or something that covers the head, thus 'cappuccino' reads 'small capuchin'. The Capuchin monks of the 16th century, an offshoot of the Franciscan Catholic order wear long and pointy hoods, known as capuche. The monks subsequently received a formal nickname, Capuchin, for their hoods. The color of cappuccino resembles the brown shade of the hoods and thus the naming of the coffee drink.

Cappuccino differs from latte in size. Cappuccino is traditionally small while latte traditionally is large. Latte is often served in a large glass and cappuccino mostly in a cup with a handle. Here is some Java Jive music to listen to while sipping your cappuccino.