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cup of coffee

cup of coffee

340 1.0
A hot drink of coffee in a cup
  • noun
  • /kʌp əv ˈkɔfi/
: taza de café
  • Then we had a cup of coffee and caught up on all the news.
  • get a cup of coffee
  • drink a cup of coffee
  • two cups of coffee

I had four cups of coffee because it is early.

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Examples

Synonyms

coffee
vscup of coffee
∞ 1.0

A hot drink made by brewing roasted, ground beans with water

focuses on one particular serving rather than the whole category
hot coffee
vscup of coffee
28 1.0

A drink made from coffee beans served very hot

covers a serving regardless of its temperature
Joe
vscup of coffee
  • Informal
20 5.5

A cup of coffee

is the neutral term without informal tone
morning coffee
vscup of coffee
20 1.0

A cup of coffee you drink in the morning to help you wake up

is any single serving, not tied to a time of day
fresh coffee
vscup of coffee
16 1.0

A cup of coffee made recently with a strong smell and full taste

is any serving and does not stress recent brewing
java
vscup of coffee
  • Informal
15 7.5

A cup of coffee

is the standard neutral term for that serving
strong coffee
vscup of coffee
7 1.0

Coffee with a deep bitter taste that gives more energy

is any serving and does not emphasize strength
instant coffee
vscup of coffee
6 1.9

A powder or small pieces you mix with hot water to make coffee

is any serving and does not specify an instant form
cup of java
vscup of coffee
  • Informal
4 6.8

A cup of coffee people drink to wake up

is the neutral phrase for that same serving
ice coffee
vscup of coffee
2 1.0

Coffee that is served cold with ice, often with milk or cream

is any serving and is not specific to cold versions
drip coffee
vscup of coffee
1 2.5

Coffee made by pouring hot water through a paper filter with ground coffee

is neutral about how the serving was prepared

How Much

cup of coffee
340 1.0

Surface Forms

cup of coffee singular

Morphology

cup + of + coffee

The phrase is a straightforward partitive composition: 'cup' (a drinking container) + 'of' (indicating a portion) + 'coffee' (the beverage) yields 'a serving of coffee' directly from its parts. This is a literal, cross-linguistically common construction that a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily understand.

Etymology

Cup of coffee paints a simple picture: a small cup holding hot coffee, often shared in a short break or as a morning drink. So it now means 'a single serving of coffee' and is also used when you invite someone for a quick, friendly meeting over a drink.