mousse

1 of 2

noun

ˈmüs 

1

: a light spongy food usually containing cream or gelatin

2

: a molded chilled dessert made with sweetened and flavored whipped cream or egg whites and gelatin

chocolate mousse

3

: a foamy preparation used in styling hair

mousse

2 of 2

verb

moussed; moussing

transitive verb

: to style (hair) with mousse

Examples of mousse in a Sentence

Noun

a jar of styling mousse

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This peppermint mousse version offers a holiday twist on the Dark Lord of the Sith favorite. —Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 7 Nov. 2024

Once a stylish staple of bistros and dinner parties alike well into the 70s, chocolate mousse then slowly went out of fashion. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024

The showstopper is to make a caramel mousse cake, but sadly, none of them had antlers. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2024

The three-course meal starts with warm bread and a crispy corn tartlet followed by Angus beef skewers with native potato, and ends with a delicious sweet banana and passion fruit mousse. —Sophie Knight, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, literally, froth, moss, from Old French mosse, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German mos moss — more at moss

First Known Use

Noun

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1984, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mousse

1 of 2 noun

ˈmüs 

1

: a light whipped or molded food

especially : a cold dessert of sweetened and flavored whipped cream or egg whites and gelatin

2

: a foamy preparation used in styling hair

mousse

2 of 2 verb

moussed; moussing

: to style (hair) with mousse