custard

American  

[kuhs-terd] / ˈkʌs tərd /

noun

1. a dessert made of eggs, sugar, and milk, either baked, boiled, or frozen.

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custard British  

/ ˈkʌstəd /

noun

1. a baked sweetened mixture of eggs and milk

2. a sauce made of milk and sugar and thickened with cornflour

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Etymology

Origin of custard

1400–50; late Middle English, metathetic variant of earlier crustade kind of pie. See crust, -ade ¹; compare Provençal croustado

Compare meaning

How does custard compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• custard vs. ice cream

Explanation

Custard is a sweet, pudding-like dessert that's usually made with eggs. You might prefer frozen custard to ice cream as a summertime treat. Custard comes in a few different forms, including baked, frozen, and boiled. Baked custard is made with a combination of eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and sometimes flavoring, chocolate, or spices, that's cooked in small dishes sitting in a pan of water. The result is smooth, creamy, and rich. In the 14th century, a custard was a "meat or fruit pie," from croustado, an Old Provençal word literally meaning "something covered with crust."

Example Sentences

Usually, I whisk whatever sweetener I have on hand directly into the custard: honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, sometimes a combination.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

If it’s still fresh and squishy, give it a quick toast in the oven first so it can absorb the custard without dissolving.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

In 2006, he served a custard tart to the late Queen Elizabeth II as part of her 80th birthday celebrations.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Ziskin also created what she calls a “chef-y” combination: rhubarb with pistachio chiffon and mascarpone custard infused with orange peel.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

I use the frozen custard recipe she’s brought with her to make a thick, creamy mixture.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan