dessert

noun

des·sert di-ˈzərt

Synonyms of dessert next

: a usually sweet course or dish (as of pastry or ice cream) usually served at the end of a meal

British : a fresh fruit served after a sweet course

Did you know?

Where does the phrase just deserts come from?

Why do we say that someone has gotten their just deserts? Does this turn of phrase have anything to do with dessert (“a sweet food eaten at the end of a meal”) or desert (“a dry land with few plants and little rainfall”)? In fact, the phrase employs neither of these words. Instead, it uses a completely unrelated word that happens to be pronounced like the word for sweets and spelled like the one for a dry place: desert, meaning “reward or punishment deserved or earned by one’s qualities or acts.” This little-used noun is, as you might have guessed, related to the English verb deserve. It has nothing to do with arid, dry land, or with cookies and ice cream.

Example Sentences

She doesn't care for rich desserts. Coffee and tea will be served with dessert. We had ice cream and apple pie for dessert.

Recent Examples on the Web Instead, Kennedy detoured to a 7-2 ruling that decided the cake case on narrow grounds that applied only to the dessert at hand. —

Philip Elliott, Time, 30 June 2023 Viewers see Sydney exploring her palette through Chicago’s restaurant scene, Marcus heads to Copenhagen to learn about desserts under the tutelage of Will Poulter’s forearms, Tina and Ebraheim go to culinary school, and Richie finds self-respect while staging at an Alinea-esque dining room. —

Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 June 2023 The strawberry habanero tasted like an exotic dessert. —

Hallie Lieberman, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 June 2023 Even surviving 100 years is a testament to the family’s perseverance, care for their community, and good taste in dessert. —

Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2023 Saffron risotto accompanied the mushroom main course, and dessert was infused with cardamom and rose syrup. —

Bydarlene Superville, Fortune, 23 June 2023 From a kitchen full of surprises, dessert is no exception, all deception. —

Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 23 June 2023 There was salad, lasagna and a vanilla cake adorned with strawberries — a nod to a similar dessert that was served at Mr. Miner’s parents’ wedding celebration at the house more than 40 years earlier. —

Rachel Felder, New York Times, 23 June 2023 Advertisement Bojangles opens in Texas on June 27, 2023 7 images All Texas restaurants will have the Bo-Berry Biscuit, the North Carolina restaurant’s most beloved dessert. —

Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 21 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dessert.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.