Posted on 07/17/2025 1:49:57 PM PDT by nickcarraway
According to a new Instacart report, 63% of shoppers spell it “sherbet,” while 37% prefer “sherbert.” But which one is correct?
-Instacart data shows that 63% of users searched for “sherbet” while 37% used the alternate spelling “sherbert.”
-The spelling “sherbert” isn’t technically wrong — both forms have historical roots dating back to Arabic, Turkish, and Persian.
-English speakers have long used both versions, with “sherbert” sticking around due to its phonetic appeal and cultural persistence.
The sweltering, sweaty dog days of summer are here, which means there's only one thing to do: Eat as many cold treats as possible, including plenty of sherbert. Or is it sherbet?
In honor of National Ice Cream Day on July 20, Instacart released its Ice Cream Data Report, filled with details about America's favorite scoops. And we will get to that in a minute. But what first caught our attention was a lively debate: How we collectively pronounce “sherbet.”
"When it comes to this fruity treat, Americans are split on pronunciation and spelling," the report revealed. It found that during the 2024 summer season, 63% of Instacart searches spelled it “sherbet,” while 37% went with “sherbert," adding a second "r" to the word. But is it wrong?
Well, technically, no.
According to Merriam-Webster, the word traces back to the Arabic term sharba, which translates to "drink." It then entered both Turkish and Persian as şerbet and sharbat, respectively. The dictionary notes that both of these words "lack an 'r in the second syllable." However, it adds that "when the word was imported into English in the early 17th century, it was coming from languages many English speakers considered exotic, and spelling was all over the place. Among the many variations that existed in the early years, two that appeared then are still in use today: sherbet and sherbert."
Sorbet vs. Sherbet: What's the Difference?
So while “sherbet” is the more common spelling, neither choice is inherently wrong. “To be honest, I pronounced it ‘sherbert’ since I was a kid, and it wasn’t until I did this analysis that I learned I had it wrong the whole time," Alex Orellana, Instacart's trends analyst, shared with Food & Wine. "After digging into the data, it’s clear that this is a spelling quirk that sticks, even if it’s technically off."
Instacart’s Ice Cream Report exposed one juicy scoop: nearly 40% of Americans spell “sherbet” with an extra “r.” Turns out, “sherbert” isn’t technically wrong—it’s a quirky remnant from 17th-century English.
Instacart also analyzed the data to see what kinds of sherbet people are ordering, with Orellana revealing that rainbow sherbet made up 62% of sherbet orders in 2024. It's followed by orange, raspberry, pineapple, and lime.
Again, this report goes much further than our favorite fruity desserts, highlighting our love for rich ice cream scoops as well. And while people are all about the classics, with vanilla being the most ordered flavor of 2024, followed by chocolate, cookies and cream, strawberry, and mint chip, which round out the top five, some inventive flavors are starting to bubble to the top.
“The biggest surprise wasn’t a specific flavor, but rather the national trends we’re seeing emerge, often influenced by what’s popular on social media," Orellana said. "The rise of carts with pistachio and chocolate ice cream mirrors the viral Dubai chocolate trend, while the growth of green tea ice cream shows a growing interest in tea-based treats, likely driven by matcha’s enduring appeal. The data shows that ice cream is personal, timely, and increasingly shaped by evolving culture.”
As for this year, Orellana said Instacart is seeing growing interest in premium, sustainably produced ice cream. "Brands like Alec’s Ice Cream and Ice Cream For Bears are gaining momentum as people seek out craft-made treats with simpler ingredients and standout flavors," Orellana said. "It shows that while classic scoops still deeply resonate, today’s consumers are also craving options that feel more elevated and intentional.”
Yes, they make it, but try to find it here, in my area in Ct.! Lotsa luck with that! :-(
I hate strawberry ice cream, with or without fruit in it!
Thanks!
There are accents and dialects in the Chesapeake Islands, and coastal areas of North and South Carolina that seem almost foreign.
SORbet
SHERbert
As time passed in each new location, I would find myself talking like the locals. At least to a degree at any rate.
In many jobs as an adult, I would mimic the way some of those from foreign nations would speak.
I remember replying to some one from one of the Caribbean islands with his sing-song dialect. He looked at me rather nastily, as he thought I was mocking him. I immediately replied to him that I love his dialect and that I was so enthralled with it that I wanted to see if I was able to speak like that. That it just blurted out, and was not meant as an insult, but rather as a compliment of his pretty dialect. That it was a habit I had picked up over many years of moving often as a military brat.
FWIW, I’ve never known anyone who said “Fudgicle”, and I’m an old man :).
In Fall 1992, I was sent on a business trip to SHAPE. Part of my duties took me into the "bunker". At the front desk were a couple RAF enlisted. We spoke for a few minutes while waiting for my appointment in an adjacent room. The question was raised about my "accent" with Canadian vowels. Apparently my speech was still reflecting the time in Federal Way, WA. At later points, my daily study of Welsh with mid-valleys dialect added some more "colour" that was noticed by the Brits at the front desk.
Rolling back to 1970, my parents traveled to Phoenix, AZ to see my paternal grandparents. It would be the last time we saw them prior to their passing. We stayed at a hotel. While my dad was "catching up" with his parents, I went out to the shuffleboard court. A man there asked me a question. I didn't understand him. I tried Spanish, French and German to attempt to communicate. A moment later he asked if I spoke English with a thick Brooklyn accent. That fixed it. I knew how to filter his speech to understand it. My aikido sensei spoke English with a very heavy Japanese accent. Again, just a matter of tuning the ear to understand.
Sherbert was Herbert before it went through Gender Affirmation Care.
Thread over.
I never ate the stuff myself.
One of my college roommates pronounced it that way. He was from California although his father had been in the service and they moved around a bit.
And why does the abbreviation for the word “missus” have the letter “r” in it?
Because it was originally "mistress" before that word came to have a different meaning.
I remember several years ago Alex Trebek scored a player wrong for saying “sherbert” rather than “sherbet” on Jeopardy!
Oh no...
Sorbet
“Sorbet”
Sorbet + milk = sherbert
Franz?
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