a la mode

/ˌɑləˈməʊd//ˌæləˈməʊd/

adjective

Fashionable; in the current style or fashion.

“Our pudding a la mode has a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.”

Similar
a la mode/à la modeall the ragechicsassycooldapperdoneelegant
OriginFrench à la mode →
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Meanings

adjective

alternative à la mode · alternative alamode · alternative ala mode

  1. Fashionable; in the current style or fashion.

    Rosettes are the hottest trend right now, and it's looking so damn good on this à la mode crochet bikini set. When you're not beach or poolside, you could even match the triangle top with a sleek maxi or high-waisted bottoms.

    2023 June 16, Megan Uy, “25 Absolutely Gorgeous Crochet Clothing Pieces You Won’t Stop Wearing This Summer”, in Cosmopolitan

    Synonyms: a la mode/à la mode, all the rage, chic, sassy, cool, dapper, done, elegant

  2. USpostpositionalServed with ice cream.

    Our pudding a la mode has a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

    2 more examples

    With a bowl of beef stew, apple pie a la mode, and two cups of coffee under his belt, Gus Wilson walked leisurely back to the Model Garage.

    1959 November 28, Martin Bunn, “Gus Pulls a Switch”, in Popular Science

    (Jon) Irma, I ordered pie a la mode. Where's the scoop of ice cream?

    1986 June 26, Jim Davis, Garfield
  3. postpositionalcookingOf beef: larded and stewed with vegetables.
adverb

alternative à la mode · alternative alamode · alternative ala mode

  1. In a particular style or fashion.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveFashionable; in the current style or fashion.

Similar
a la mode/à la modeall the ragechicsassycooldapperdoneelegantfashionablegroovyhappeninghephipinin fashionjauntymodishnattyon fleekon trend

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivein the current fashion or style

Similar
latestin stylein voguemodishfashionablestylish
Also see
donefashionablein stylein voguelatestmodishstylishtippy

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchà la mode
  2. Frenchà la mode
  3. Englisha la mode

Unadapted borrowing from French à la mode (“in fashion”). The US sense was coined by polyglot restaurant owner John Gieriet in Minnesota in the 1800s though later attributed to Berry Hall and Charles Watson Townsend.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish muodikas
  • muodikasfashionable
Norwegian Bokmål à la mode, a la mode
  • à la modeTranslations
  • a la modeTranslations
Polish modny, à la
  • modnyfashionable
  • à laTranslations
Spanish a la moda
  • a la modafashionable
Cite this entry
APA

a la mode. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20la%20mode

MLA

“a la mode.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20la%20mode. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a la mode,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20la%20mode.

Source: a la mode on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.