sundae
Americannoun
-
sundaes
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sundae
1890–95, perhaps special use of Sunday (with distinctive spelling)
Explanation
A sundae is a delicious ice cream concoction that might include hot fudge or caramel sauce, nuts, and whipped cream. You can order a sundae any day of the week. When you put ice cream in a dish, drip a sweet topping over it (like strawberry sauce or chocolate syrup), and add a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry, you've got a sundae. There are several competing stories about the origin of the sundae (and its name). One is that Illinois' outlawing of soda drinking on Sundays led to the dessert's invention. Several towns claim to be the sundae's birthplace, including New York City; Plainfield, Illinois; and New Orleans.
Vocabulary lists containing sundae
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.
See Examples For:
Polaris veterans probably don’t get excited about it, but this newbie enjoyed the ice-cream sundae cart wheeled to each seat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
After the hummus and seven vegetable salads, the meal unfolded with sweet-and-salty pistachio-dusted halloumi baklava, tender beef shashlik over creamy black-garlic toum, and a guava sorbet sundae.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
From Hailee Catalano's latest cookbook, “By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear,” this springtime sundae is “reminiscent of a cozy crumble or crisp but with a bit more lightness.”
From Salon ● May 23, 2025
Barely recognizable from “Welcome to Flatch” is Holmes as Carmen’s roommate Hailee, a rococo ice cream sundae of a person, talking a mile a minute, sweet and dim; as on “Flatch,” she is quite wonderful.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2025
“How about a sundae? Sprinkles, strawberry syrup, whipped cream.”
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
And despite his citations and medals and his efforts to move up in the world, Fred, a soda jerk before the war, is once again dishing up sundaes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
TGI Fridays offers customers a wide array of classic American entrées along with milkshakes and ice cream sundaes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2024
The change came months after Mr. McDonald and a group of state party officials were invited to Mar-a-Lago, where they were treated to an hourslong meal that concluded with ice cream sundaes.
From New York Times ● Feb. 8, 2024
Kerry, powered by orange juice and ice cream sundaes during this week's marathon talks, turns 80 in December.
From Reuters ● Jul. 20, 2023
And then I remembered the little glass bowls that Betty Allen had used for the ice-cream sundaes.
From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo
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