custard

noun

cus·​tard ˈkə-stərd 

plural custards

: a cooked mixture made of eggs and milk or cream and usually having a thick, creamy consistency

By the eighteenth century it had become the dessert we know today: a layered treat of sponge cake, custard, fruit, jam, whipped cream and spirits.

—Bon Appétit

We toss a laurel wreath to the chefs for their … pastitsio and moussaka, both of which sported a savory custard topping.

—Greg Morago et al.

Smooth and creamy, custard lends itself to a range of both sweet and savory dishes.

—Gabrielle Shaughness

custardy

ˈkə-stər-dē 

adjective

Examples of custard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Quiche is a savory French tart made with pastry crust and egg custard. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025

The palate features similar aromas with suggestions of Portuguese egg custard, wet stone, and hazelnut butter. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025

Black cherries, maraschino cherries/Kirsch, lemon custard, orchard fruits, rye spices, and chocolate are featured on the nose. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

This comes in handy when making something like custard, which can curdle or burn if the pan gets hot too fast. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 18 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, a kind of pie, alteration of crustarde, crustade, probably from Anglo-French *crustade, from cruste crust, from Latin crusta — more at crust

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing custard

• custard apple

Rhymes for custard

• blustered
• bustard
• clustered
• flustered
• mustard
• mustered

Kids Definition

custard

noun

cus·​tard ˈkəs-tərd 

: a sweetened mixture of milk and eggs baked, boiled, or frozen