crumpet

American  

[kruhm-pit] / ˈkrʌm pɪt /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. a round soft unsweetened bread resembling a muffin, cooked on a griddle or the like, and often toasted.

2. British Slang. a sexually attractive woman.

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crumpet British  

/ ˈkrʌmpɪt /

noun

1. a light soft yeast cake full of small holes on the top side, eaten toasted and buttered

2. (in Scotland) a large flat sweetened cake made of batter

3. slang women collectively

4. slang a sexually desirable woman

5. slang utterly worthless

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Etymology

Origin of crumpet

1350–1400; short for crumpetcake curled cake, equivalent to Middle English crompid (past participle of crumpen, variant of crampen to bend, curl ( see cramp ¹) + cake

Explanation

A crumpet is a spongy bread that's cooked on a griddle and served warm with butter. Crumpets are a delicious alternative to toast or English muffins. Crumpets were probably invented in Wales as a way to make bread without access to an oven. Like English muffins, they're cooked on a hot pan or griddle, but crumpets are made from a batter, rather than a dough. Etymologists suspect that crumpet may derive from crompid cake, "wafer," or literally "curled-up cake," and its root, which is shared with crumple.

Example Sentences

It was our childhood – or, at least, the crumpet was: its buttery lattice and doughy insides up there with Live and Kicking as a highlight of Saturday mornings.

From The Guardian • Jul. 25, 2019

Now 21, university student Beth says she would not choose to eat a crumpet but "wouldn't be completely repulsed" if she saw one.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2019

Analysis: This category is crazy crowded, so much so that I can’t even see the crumpet contingent managing to put “Downton’s” Maggie Smith back among the nominees.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2016

We also use words like fortnight and crumpet and jolly good, so we should probably not be taken very seriously.

From Slate • Aug. 5, 2014

Beside her on the brass fender of the hearth a tea was laid out: steaming thimbles and a variety of crumbs; tea cake and crumpet and cucumber sandwich, on polished British pennies.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck