The spelling expresso is mostly considered incorrect, although some sources call it a less common variant. It is common in French and Portuguese. Italy uses the term espresso, substituting s for most x letters in Latin-root words, with the term deriving from the past participle of the Italian verb esprimere, itself derived from the Latin exprimere, which means 'to express', and refers to the process by which hot water is forced under pressure through ground coffee; x is not considered part of the standard Italian alphabet. Italians commonly refer to espresso simply as caffè (), espresso being the ordinary coffee to order. The same happens in Portugal (café), with some regional variations (bica in Lisbon and cimbalino traditionally in Porto). In Spain, while café expreso is seen as the more formal denomination, café solo (alone, without milk) is the usual way to ask for it at an espresso bar. Some sources state that expresso is an incorrect spelling, including Garner's Modern American Usage. While the 'expresso' spelling is recognized as mainstream usage in some American dictionaries,Expresso. Merriam-webster.com (13 August 2010). Retrieved on 13 February 2011Expresso | Define Expresso at Dictionary.com. Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved on 13 February 2011. some cooking websites call the 'x' variant illegitimate.What is espresso? Or is it expresso? . Homecooking.about.com (14 June 2010). Retrieved on 13 February 2011.What is Espresso. Espresso People. Retrieved on 13 February 2011. Oxford Dictionaries online states: "The spelling expresso is not used in the original Italian and is strictly incorrect, although it is common."Definition of espresso from Oxford Dictionaries Online. Oxforddictionaries.com. Retrieved on 13 February 2011. The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster call it a variant spelling. The Online Etymology Dictionary calls expresso a variant of espresso. The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style (2000) describes the spelling expresso as "wrong", and specifies espresso as the only correct form. The third edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage, published by the Oxford University Press in 1996, noted that the form espresso "has entirely driven out the variant expresso (which was presumably invented under the impression that it meant 'fast, express')".
The spelling expresso is mostly considered incorrect, although some sources call it a less common variant. It is common in French and Portuguese. Italy uses the term espresso, substituting s for most x letters in Latin-root words, with the term deriving from the past participle of the Italian verb esprimere, itself derived from the Latin exprimere, which means 'to express', and refers to the process by which hot water is forced under pressure through ground coffee; x is not considered, part of the standard Italian alphabet. Italians commonly refer to espresso simply as caffè (), espresso being the ordinary coffee to order. The same happens in Portugal (café), with some regional variations (bica in Lisbon and cimbalino traditionally in Porto). In Spain, while café expreso is seen as the more formal denomination, café solo (alone without milk) is the usual way to ask for it at an espresso bar. Some sources state that expresso is an incorrect spelling, including Garner's Modern American Usage. While the 'expresso' spel.ling is recognized as mainstream usage in some American dictionaries,Expresso. Merriam-webster.com (13 August 2010). Retrieved on 13 February 2011Expresso | Define Expresso at Dictionary.com. Dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved on 13 February 2011. some cooking websites call the 'x' variant illegitimate.What is espresso? Or is it expresso? . Homecooking.about.com (14 June 2010). Retrieved on 13 February 2011.What is Espresso. Espresso People. Retrieved on 13 February 2011. Oxford Dictionaries online states: "The spelling expresso is not used in the original Italian and is strictly incorrect, although it is common."Definition of espresso from Oxford Dictionaries Online. Oxforddictionaries.com. Retrieved on 13 February 2011. The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster call it a variant spelling. The Online Etymology Dictionary calls expresso a variant of espresso The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style (2000) describes the spelling expresso as "wrong", and specifies espresso as the only correct form. The third edition of Fowler's Modern English Usage, published by the Oxford University Press in 1996, noted that the form espresso "has entirely driven out the variant expresso (which was presumably invented under the impression that it meant 'fast, express')".