Dessert

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /dɪˈzɜː(ɹ)t/
• US enPR: dÄ­-zûrt, IPA: /dɪˈzɝt/
• Homophones: desert verb

Origin

From French dessert, from desservir ("disserve"), from dés- ("dis-") and servir ("serve"), thus literally meaning “removal of what has been served”.

Note: It has been 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. The term predates him by at least a century, however.

Full definition of dessert

Noun

1. A sweet confection served as the last course of a meal

Synonyms

• (sweet final course of a meal) afters (UK informal), pudding UK, sweet UK

Anagrams

• deserts