dessert

noun

des·​sert di-ˈzərt 

1

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

2

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.

Examples of dessert in a Sentence

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

The Coconut-Pecan Frosting is often cited as readers' favorite part of the dessert, and that recipe alone has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars (and more than double the number of reviews of the cake!). —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 12 Dec. 2024

One story claims it was born out of a kitchen mishap at the Duke of Milan’s court when a cook burned the Christmas dessert. —Jenn Rice, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

Moravian Stretched Apple Strudel This dessert is so named because the dough is actually stretched, similar to pizza dough. —Eva Syrovy, The Denver Post, 11 Dec. 2024

There are also chimichurri wings, Korean barbecue burritos, fajitas and, for dessert, churro and vanilla ice cream. —Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French desserte "food cleared from the table (in the phrase desserte des més), course served at the end of the meal," derivative of desservir "to clear the table (of food, dishes)," from des- dis- + servir "to serve entry 1"

Note: Middle French desserte is apparently formed by analogy with desert from deservir—see note at desert entry 4.

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dessert

• dessert wine

Kids Definition

dessert

noun

des·​sert di-ˈzərt 

: a course of usually sweet food, fruit, or cheese usually served at the end of a meal