froth

UK: /ˈfrɒθ/ US: /frɔθ, frɑθ/ ,(frôth, froth)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

froth /frɔθ, frɑθ/   n. [uncountable]

1. a mass of bubbles, such as on a liquid that has been shaken hard;
   foam.
2. Pathology a foam of saliva or fluid resulting from disease.
3. something trivial or unimportant;
   something not worth much:
   The play was a charming bit of froth.

v. [no object]

4. to give off froth:
   The stew was frothing.

Idioms

5. Pathology to froth at the mouth, [no object]
   • to give out froth;
     foam:
     The dog had rabies and frothed at the mouth.
   • to be extremely angry.

froth•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

froth  (frôth, froth), n. 

1. an aggregation of bubbles, as on an agitated liquid or at the mouth of a hard-driven horse;
   foam;
   spume.
2. Pathology a foam of saliva or fluid resulting from disease.
3. something unsubstantial, trivial, or evanescent:
   The play was a charming bit of froth.

v.t. 

4. to cover with froth:
   giant waves frothing the sand.
5. to cause to foam:
   to froth egg whites with a whisk.
6. to emit like froth:
   a demagogue frothing his hate.

v.i. 

7. Pathology to give out froth;
   foam:
   frothing at the mouth.

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

froth′•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 3. triviality, frivolity, fluff, nonsense.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

froth / 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

verb

1. to produce or cause to produce froth
2. (transitive) to give out in the form of froth

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Norse frotha or frauth; related to Old English āfrēothan to foam, Sanskrit prothati he snorts

ˈfrothy adjective

ˈfrothily adverb