Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
parfait glass

parfait glass

1 4.7
A tall, narrow glass with a short stem for layered cold desserts like ice cream and fruit
  • noun
  • /pɑrˈfeɪ ˌɡlæs/
translation icon : copa de parfait
  • The ice cream sundae looked especially appealing when served in a tall parfait glass.
  • parfait glasses hold pudding
  • parfait glass layers
  • tops of parfait glasses

Examples

  • The chef recommends using a short-stemmed parfait glass to showcase the beautiful layers of the dessert.

  • For the dinner party, she bought a new set of elegant parfait glasses for dessert.

  • He carefully layered fruit and yogurt in a parfait glass to create a beautiful dessert.

  • Look at that parfait glass!

  • This parfait glass is beautiful.

  • To make a delicious dessert, carefully layer the mousse and berries in a tall parfait glass.

  • She served the homemade chocolate parfait in elegant parfait glasses for the dinner party.

How Tall

parfait glass
1 4.7
tumbler
8 1.8
shot glass
13 1.8

Surface Forms

parfait glass singular
parfait glasses plural

Morphology

parfait + glass

The meaning is directly and literally built from 'parfait' (a layered dessert) + 'glass' (a drinking/serving vessel): a glass used to serve parfaits. This noun–noun composition is a regular, compositional pattern in English (and similar in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Parfait glass comes from the French word parfait meaning 'perfect' and the word glass. Cooks served the layered dessert in tall clear glasses so people could see the pretty layers, and that's why the name now means a tall, slim glass for 'layered desserts'.