Froth is a mass of small bubbles that forms on top of a liquid. When you pour a root beer too fast, white froth bubbles up and threatens to overflow the glass. Hot chocolate often has a layer of froth on top, and ocean waves create white froth as they crash against the shore.

The bubbles in froth are filled with air and feel light and airy. Whipped cream is really just frothed cream: air beaten into it until it becomes fluffy. A frothing cappuccino has that creamy foam on top that coffee lovers enjoy. You can froth milk by heating it and whisking it vigorously, or by using a special frother that spins rapidly to trap tiny air bubbles.

The word can also describe something that seems exciting on the surface but lacks real substance. When people talk about the froth of celebrity gossip, they mean it's all bubbly entertainment without much depth. A speech full of frothy language might sound impressive but say nothing important.

As a verb, to froth means to produce foam. Rough ocean water froths around rocks. When someone gets extremely angry, people sometimes say they're frothing with rage.