doughnut
Americannoun
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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.
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anything shaped like a thick ring; an annular object; toroid.
noun
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a small cake of sweetened dough, often ring-shaped or spherical with a jam or cream filling, cooked in hot fat
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anything shaped like a ring, such as the reaction vessel of a thermonuclear reactor
verb
Etymology
Origin of doughnut
Explanation
A doughnut is a delicious, deep-fried breakfast treat. Most doughnuts are round and have a hole in the center. Some have frosting and sprinkles, too. You can also call a doughnut a donut, a slightly more common way to spell it in North America. There are different types of doughnuts, but they're all made of sweet dough that's usually fried (but sometimes baked). Many bakeries that specialize in doughnuts also sell doughnut holes, small enough to pop in your mouth. The very earliest doughnuts were probably the olykoek, or "oil cakes" brought to New York by 19th century Dutch settlers.
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.
After being taken private in 2020, coffee and doughnut chain Dunkin’ is set to return to the public market — and it’s bringing a few friends.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
A "chocolate doughnut Easter egg" triggers curiosity - a shell blended with shortbread and fudge pieces, topped with sprinkles.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
A ball has no hole, while a doughnut has one.
From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026
Then, in summer, we take Dolly to a local Cars & Coffee at the doughnut shop in town.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025
“I’m going to get a doughnut and some hot chocolate,” Annie announced.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
