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dessert

American  
[dih-zurt] / dɪˈzɜrt /

noun

  1. cake, pie, fruit, pudding, ice cream, etc., served as the final course of a meal.

  2. British. a serving of fresh fruit after the main course of a meal.


dessert British  
/ dɪˈzɜːt /

noun

  1. the sweet, usually last course of a meal

  2. (esp formerly) fruit, dates, nuts, etc, served at the end of a meal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dessert

First recorded in 1780–90; from French, derivative of desservir “to remove what was served, clear the table,” from Old French, from des- dis- 1 + servir “to serve” ( serve )

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.

Staff at the Hawthorne animal shelter named the pup Flan after the creamy baked custard dessert, due to his light brown coat, said a spcaLA representative on New Year’s Eve.

From Los Angeles Times

By Jan. 17—also known as “Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day”—the short-term cost of going to the gym, skipping dessert or taking a polar plunge feels even larger.

From The Wall Street Journal

My aunt made a dessert that was supposed to be an orange souffle.

From The Wall Street Journal

The picnic’s pitch is simple: Bakers each bring a cake and stay for community, fellowship and dessert.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sides, pastas and desserts tend to be more profitable, with lower ingredient costs.

From The Wall Street Journal