zwieback

American  

[zwahy-bak, -bahk, zwee-, swahy-, swee-, tsvee-bahk] / ˈzwaɪˌbæk, -ˌbɑk, ˈzwi-, ˈswaɪ-, ˈswi-, ˈtsviˌbɑk /

noun

1. a special egg bread made into rusks.

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zwieback British  

/ ˈtsviːbak, ˈzwaɪˌbæk, ˈzwiː- /

noun

1. a small type of rusk, which has been baked first as a loaf, then sliced and toasted, usually bought ready-made

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Etymology

Origin of zwieback

1890–95, < German: twice-baked, equivalent to zwie twice + backen to bake. See twi-, bake; cf. biscuit

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Explanation

Zwieback is a dry, crunchy baked good that's commonly eaten by Europeans. In North America, zwieback is often given to babies, who can safely gnaw on it with their gums. This word comes from the German Zweiback, which literally means "twice-baked," but is commonly used to mean "biscuit." The equivalent Italian word, biscotti, may be familiar if you spend a lot of time in coffee shops, but zwieback is less common in the U.S. These sweet, brittle cookies are made (just as the root implies) by baking the dough twice.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zwieback

Preachments against war have come to savor strongly of zwieback, a victual which most people can take or leave at will.

From Time Magazine Archive

"You smart thing," she says, "have a zwieback."

From Time Magazine Archive

In Battle Creek Dr. Kellogg once had an irritating patient, a woman who broke her false teeth on a piece of zwieback he had prescribed; wanted him to give her $10 for a new set.

From Time Magazine Archive

He rose promptly at seven o'clock each morning, put on his brown uniform, breakfasted on fruit, zwieback and a glass of milk.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mrs. Swinburne, having read in a child-study book that dry food was bone-building, had brought her youngest up on long crumbly strips of zwieback, and he was seldom seen without one.

From The Wide Awake Girls in Winsted by Katharine Ellis Barrett

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