Dessert
/dɪˈzɜːrt/
Definitions
A sweet course typically eaten at the end of a meal.
/dɪˈzɜːrt/
A sweet course served at the end of a meal.
For dessert, we had apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
💡 Simply: Dessert is the yummy, sweet treat you eat after your meal, like cake, ice cream, or cookies! It’s the perfect ending to a good dinner.
👶 For kids: Dessert is something sweet you eat at the end of your meal, like ice cream or cookies!
More Examples
She always makes a special dessert for birthdays.
The restaurant's dessert menu offers a wide variety of choices.
How It's Used
"After dinner, we enjoyed a delicious chocolate dessert."
"The hostess always provides a wonderful dessert for her guests."
From Old French *desservir* ('to clear the table') + *-et* (diminutive suffix). Originally the course served after the main meal to 'clear the table' (to unsery or take away). Over time, it became associated with sweet courses.
The word 'dessert' has been used in English since the 17th century and historically referred to the course served *after* the main meal, meant to 'un-serve' or clear the table.
Memory tip
Think of 'desserts' as the delicious *last course* of a meal, the reward!
Word Origin
"to clear the table"