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

No matter how much you reshape a ball, you cannot turn it into a doughnut without cutting or tearing it.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

After all, what could be better than a post-skate fritule doughnut, except perhaps a fritule with chocolate sauce.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2025

Twenty years he’s at that doughnut shop, every night at 8 p.m., he makes doughnut, preparing for the day.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025

The 88-year-old doughnut brand cut its tally of global points of access, or locations where its doughnuts are sold worldwide, by more than 6% in the third quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

Shame,” said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling

Related Words

• bun
• pastry