Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

a la mode

/ˌɑləˈməʊd/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.49 in modern English

Syllables
a la -mode
IPA
/ˌɑləˈməʊd/
10
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Fashionable; in the current style or fashion.

adj

Served with ice cream.

American usage

adj

Of beef: larded and stewed with vegetables.

adv

In a particular style or fashion.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French à la mode (“in fashion”). The US sense was coined by polyglot restaurant owner John Gieriet in Minnesota in the 1800s though later attributed to Berry Hall and Charles Watson Townsend.

Usage

Inflected Forms

à la mode (alternative) alamode (alternative) ala mode (alternative)

Derived Forms

alamodality

Synonyms

a la mode/à la mode all the rage chic sassy cool dapper done elegant fashionable groovy happening hep

Questions

How do you pronounce a la mode?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɑləˈməʊd/.
What does a la mode mean?
Fashionable; in the current style or fashion.
Where does a la mode come from?
Unadapted borrowing from French à la mode (“in fashion”). The US sense was coined by polyglot restaurant owner John Gieriet in Minnesota in the 1800s though later attributed to Berry Hall and Charles Watson Townsend.

How to pronounce a la mode

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “a la mode”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɑləˈməʊd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “a la mode”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “a la mode” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.