English Explanatory Dictionary

dessert

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The last course of a meal, consisting of fruit, sweet confections etc.
  2. A sweet dish or confection served as the last course of a meal.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈzɜːt/ dĭ-zûrt /dɪˈzɝt/ en-us-dessert.ogg

Word forms

dessert desserts desert

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des- Middle French des- Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.? Proto-Italic *serwos Latin servus Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin serviō Old French servir Middle French servir Middle French desservir Middle French dessertbor. English dessert Borrowed from Middle French dessert, from desservir (“disserve”), from dés- (“dis-”) and servir (“serve”), thus literally meaning “removal of what has been served”. Note: It was erroneously suggested (e.g. in "Glucose syrups: Technology and Applications" (Peter Hull, 2010)) that the word is derived from the name of Benjamin Delessert, the inventor of beet sugar. However, the term predates him by at least a century.

Synonyms

afters pudding sweet

Derived words

dessert bar dessert fork dessertful dessert grape dessertless dessertlike dessert-plate dessertspoon dessert spoon dessertware dessert wine desserty nondessert predessert
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