by 1970, from Italian gelato, literally "frozen," past participle of gelare "to freeze, congeal," from Latin gelare "to freeze, congeal" (from PIE root *gel- "cold; to freeze")
Entries linking to gelato
*gel-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "cold; to freeze."
It forms all or part of: chill; cold; congeal; cool; gel; gelatine; gelatinous; gelato; gelid; glace; glacial; glaciate; glaciation; glacier; glaciology; glacis; jell; jelly.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Latin gelare "to freeze," gelu "frost," glacies "ice;" Old English cald "cold, cool," German kalt.