à la mode

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparableAmerican

   Served with a scoop of ice cream, especially on a dessert such as pie, cake, or brownies.

   Grammar: Usually comes after the noun: apple pie à la mode; Americans rarely say an à la mode pie.

   Patterns

   • something à la mode
   • pie à la mode
   • serve something à la mode
   • warm cake à la mode

   She chose blueberry pie à la mode for dessert.

   The diner serves chocolate cake à la mode with vanilla ice cream.

   He asked whether the brownie could come à la mode.

2. 2adjectivecomparable

   Fashionable or in the current style; also used in the pattern à la mode of to mean in the style of someone or something.

   Grammar: Can compare in the fashion sense: more à la mode; often after be or the noun.

   Patterns

   • be à la mode
   • more à la mode
   • à la mode of something
   • clothes à la mode

   In the novel, taking tea in the garden was very à la mode.

   Her winter hats looked charmingly à la mode.

   The menu offers a custard à la mode of old Paris cafés.

Common combinations

apple pie à la mode

Apple pie à la mode is his favorite diner dessert.

cake à la mode

They shared a slice of cake à la mode after the concert.

serve something à la mode

The restaurant serves peach cobbler à la mode in summer.

warm brownie à la mode

A warm brownie à la mode arrived with two spoons.

with vanilla ice cream

She asked for the pie à la mode with vanilla ice cream.

Synonyms and how they differ

fashionable

Only replaces à la mode in the style sense; it cannot describe a dessert topped with ice cream.

Opposites

Commonly confused: à la mode or au gratin? à la mode or à la carte?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “à la mode”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words