demitasse
UK[ˈdemitæs]US[ˈdemitæs]
n
a small cup for serving strong black coffee or espresso.
n
the coffee served in such a cup.
Morpheme Breakdown
demi
tasse
demi
half
tasse
cup
Etymology
the word 'demitasse' is a direct borrowing from french, where it literally means 'half-cup'. the french 'demi' traces back to latin 'dimidius', a compound of 'dis-' (apart) and 'medius' (middle), conveying the idea of being split in the middle. 'tasse' entered french from arabic, reflecting the cultural exchange around coffee and its vessels. thus, the modern english term logically denotes a small coffee cup, precisely half the size of a standard cup, preserving its original descriptive function.
Analysis
Structure: demi (half) + tasse (cup)
demi (from french, meaning 'half', ultimately from latin 'dimidius' meaning 'halved'); tasse (from french, meaning 'cup', from old french 'tasse', from arabic 'ṭasaḥ', from persian 'tašt' meaning 'bowl, cup').
Examples
she served the espresso in a delicate porcelain demitasse.
the waiter brought a demitasse of strong turkish coffee on a silver tray.
a proper demitasse should have a handle and be accompanied by a small spoon.