à la mode

[ ah luh mohd, al-uh-; French a la mawd ]

adjective

1. in or according to the fashion.
2. Cooking.
   1. (of pie or other dessert) served with a portion of ice cream, often as a topping:

      apple pie à la mode.

   2. (of beef ) larded and braised or stewed with vegetables, herbs, etc., and served with a rich brown gravy.

à la mode

/ æ lə; ɑː lɑː ˈməʊd; a la mɔd /

adjective

1. fashionable in style, design, etc
2. (of meats) braised with vegetables in wine
3. (of desserts) served with ice cream

Word History and Origins

Origin of à la mode¹

First recorded in 1640–50; French, literally, “in the current fashion”

Word History and Origins

Origin of à la mode¹

C17: from French: according to the fashion

Example Sentences

But she dislikes being categorized because of her sex or skin color, saying that “it’s completely ridiculous” to be considered “a la mode” for being a Black female chef.

From Seattle Times

Her hearty pecan pie recipe comes complete with a no-churn ice cream pairing, because no slice deserves to go without an a la mode moment.

From Salon

This icebox treat lands somewhere in between brownie a la mode and traditional ice cream sandwiches.

From Salon

Thanks to the farmhouse boom, wooden features are a la mode.

From Washington Post

Is that not, in fact, the platonic ideal of pie a la mode?

From Salon

Related Words

• served with ice cream
• topped with ice cream