The French word for "sherbet," which Italians call sorbetto. Sorbet is sometimes distinguished from sherbet by the fact that it never contains milk. It's also often a softer consistency than sherbet. Savory or lightly sweetened sorbets are customarily served either as a palate refresher between courses or as dessert. They're sometimes also referred to as ICES or GRANITAS, though both of these mixtures are generally more granular in texture than a sorbet.
from THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition,
by Sharon Tyler Herbst