Other forms: lattes
A latte is coffee made mostly of hot steamed milk. One shot of espresso, and a great deal of milk on top.
The name is short for caffè latte, and latte alone means milk in Italian, so asking for one in Italy will get you exactly that. It sits in a family worth knowing: a cappuccino has more foam, a flat white has less milk and a stronger coffee flavour, and a macchiato has barely any milk at all. There is a British political shorthand in the latte-drinking urban type, which is not meant kindly.
1nounlatteA coffee made with espresso and a large amount of steamed milk.
“She ordered a latte and sat by the window.”
Latin
lac, lactis
Italian
caffellatte
English, today
latte
caffè latte, from Italian caffellatte, ultimately from Latin lac, lactis.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA