doughnut

American  

[doh-nuht, -nuht] / ˈdoʊ nət, -ˌnʌt /

Or donut

noun

1. a small cake of sweetened or, sometimes, unsweetened dough fried in deep fat, typically shaped like a ring or, when prepared with a filling, a ball.

2. anything shaped like a thick ring; an annular object; toroid.

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doughnut British  

/ ˈdəʊnʌt /

noun

1. a small cake of sweetened dough, often ring-shaped or spherical with a jam or cream filling, cooked in hot fat

2. anything shaped like a ring, such as the reaction vessel of a thermonuclear reactor

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verb

1. informal (tr) (of Members of Parliament) to surround (a speaker) during the televising of Parliament to give the impression that the chamber is crowded or the speaker is well supported

Etymology

Origin of doughnut

First recorded in 1795–1805; dough + nut

Example Sentences

Families sat on blankets on the floor, sipping coffee and cocoa and nibbling on doughnuts.

From Literature

So are the mini doughnuts in a nearby Valentine’s Day display.

From The Wall Street Journal

"As a teenager, I would eat huge amounts of chocolate, doughnuts, cookies."

From BBC

Sean Baker’s hyperactive “Tangerine,” shot on an iPhone at a doughnut shop on Santa Monica Boulevard, not only makes that point with gusto, it encourages you to get out and roam.

From Los Angeles Times

Although attendees were mourning, the event was joyous and featured traditional Hannukah treats of latkes, which are fried potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, which are jelly doughnuts.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bun
• pastry