Danish
Americanadjective
noun
-
a North Germanic language, the language of Denmark, closely related to Norwegian, Swedish, and Icelandic. Dan, Dan.
-
(sometimes lowercase) Danish pastry.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Danish
First recorded before 900; Middle English, alteration of Denshe, Danshe, Dench (by influence of Dan “(a) Dane”), Old English Denisc , from Germanic daniskaz; see origin at Dane, -ish 1
Explanation
A danish is a sweet breakfast roll filled with custard, jam, or marzipan. If you're invited to brunch at a friend's house, she'll be happy to see you arrive with a box of danishes. If you order coffee and a danish at a diner, you'll get a flaky, buttery pastry topped with cheese or fruit — not a person from Denmark. The word is short for "danish pastry," which is actually called wienerbrød, or "Viennese bread" in Denmark. The popular history of the danish involves a strike by Danish bakery workers which led bakeries to hire Austrian bakers, who brought their own recipes for pastries rich with butter and egg.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many of the couches now being sold on Amazon or Wayfair are actually copies of Danish brand OMHU’s Teddy sofa, which is priced at just under $2,000.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026
Kennedy has praised the Danish researchers as "the deities of vaccine research", and cited earlier findings from their work in support of concerns about vaccine safety.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
He added that the relevant Danish statutory research ethics bodies were unable to undertake the review.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
The midpoint of the new guidance implies adjusted sales of 306.42 billion Danish kroner and adjusted operating profit of 125.01 billion kroner, which are both 3% ahead of current consensus, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Pilar is unreliable and Rufino can’t tell a Danish from a donut.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
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