custard

American  

[kuhs-terd] / ˈkʌs tərd /

noun

• custards
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• custards
  plural

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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

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Compare meaning

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

• custard vs. ice cream

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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

See Examples For:

custard custards

In went the torn sourdough, which I thoroughly dunked in the custard, followed by crisped bacon, a small drizzle of bacon fat — sue me — cheddar, roasted peppers and minced onion.

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026

My alma mater Wisconsin is going to be sponsored by Culver’s, the beloved Midwest restaurant chain with frozen custard that melts like a Badger first-quarter lead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

Arley Harriman, a retired advertising executive living in Delavan, Wisc., said she loves Culver’s service and cleanliness, plus the quality of its cod sandwiches and custard ice cream.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 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

Behind the custard stand stood an old unpainted privy leaning badly to one side.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

From cakes and pies, “Ready for Dessert” moves on to custards and soufflés; frozen desserts; cookies and candies; and basics, such as sauces, creams, etc.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

Hernandez, who earned her certificate this spring, has already found a job preparing custards and other items for a cafe and caterer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2025

The resulting liquid is then used in lieu of regular milk or buttermilk in recipes for cupcakes, fruit buckle, pancakes, custards and puddings.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2022

The doughnuts are handmade with fresh eggs and filled with creams, custards and jams.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 27, 2022

Mr. Rhydd was kind to give me the rhubarb and custards for free, but today they tasted acidic and glassy.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

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