mousse

1 of 2

noun

ˈmüs How to pronounce mousse (audio)
Synonyms of moussenext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For extra hold, apply a little volumizing mousse or a lightweight styling product to damp hair. — Lucy Binder, Glamour, 30 Aug. 2026 The rich chocolate and salty sweet bacon combo as well as the fluffy peanut butter mousse is what sets this dish apart from other s’mores. — Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The return of tanning, unregulated peptides, and now, exploding mousse? — James Manso, Allure, 17 Aug. 2026 Use beef liver in our recipe for chicken-liver mousse with raspberry jelly. — Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mousse

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of mousse was in 1885

Rhymes for mousse

See All Rhymes for mousse

Browse Nearby Words

moussaka
mousse
mousseline
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mousse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mousse. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mousse

1 of 2 noun
ˈmüs How to pronounce mousse (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on mousse

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mousse

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mousse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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