froth

American  

[frawth, froth] / frɔθ, frɒθ /

noun

1. an aggregation of bubbles, as on an agitated liquid or at the mouth of a hard-driven horse; foam; spume.

2. a foam of saliva or fluid resulting from disease.

3. something unsubstantial, trivial, or evanescent.

   The play was a charming bit of froth.

   Synonyms:

   nonsense, fluff, frivolity, triviality

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover with froth.

   giant waves frothing the sand.

2. to cause to foam.

   to froth egg whites with a whisk.

3. to emit like froth.

   a demagogue frothing his hate.

verb (used without object)

1. to give out froth; foam.

   frothing at the mouth.

froth British  

/ frɒθ /

noun

1. a mass of small bubbles of air or a gas in a liquid, produced by fermentation, detergent, etc

2. a mixture of saliva and air bubbles formed at the lips in certain diseases, such as rabies

3. trivial ideas, talk, or entertainment

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verb

1. to produce or cause to produce froth

2. (tr) to give out in the form of froth

3. (tr) to cover with froth

Other Word Forms

• frother noun
• frothily adverb
• frothiness noun
• frothy adjective
• outfroth verb (used with object)
• unfrothed adjective
• unfrothing adjective

Etymology

Origin of froth

1350–1400; Middle English frothe < Old Norse frotha froth, scum

Explanation

Froth is the gathering of small bubbles at the top of a drink, like the fizzy froth on the top of your root beer float. There's usually froth on the surface of soda, beer, and even coffee drinks like cappuccinos and lattes, which are topped with milk froth. You can use the word froth as a verb as well, to mean "fizz or foam up." Liquid soap might froth in your hands as you wash them, for example, and making candy sometimes involves cooking sugar syrup until it starts to froth. The word most likely comes from an Old Norse root, froða, or "froth."

Example Sentences

Chief among them was the huge speculative froth that had developed in the earlier part of the year when gold recorded an intraday peak of $5,626 near the end of January.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

Gold has a role in all these stories, but the scale of the moves, combined with the soaring and crashing of silver, shows a lot of froth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

The 2008 stock market crash and the pandemic-related crash in 2020 cleansed the market of at least some of its froth, making many hostile bids more inviting.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2025

Some analysts compare the current market froth in brokerage stocks to the late 1990s, raising concerns about potential further declines.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

A high gray wall of steel that was the side of an immense oil tanker rumbled toward him, a rolling white froth at its bow.

From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• foam
• scum