doughnut

noun

dough·​nut ˈdō-(ˌ)nət 

variants or less commonly donut

1

: a small usually ring-shaped piece of sweet fried dough

2

: something (such as a mathematical torus) that has a round shape like a doughnut

3

: a controlled skid that sends an automobile into a tight circle of at least 360 degrees

—usually used in the phrase do doughnuts

Doing doughnuts? You haven't heard about this? This is what they steal the cars for. Top speed, they slam on the brakes, yank the emergency brake, twist the steering wheel, and the car starts spinning. Wheeling the car in circles at tremendous speeds.

—Philip Roth

doughnutlike

ˈdō-(ˌ)nət-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of doughnut in a Sentence

drawing doughnuts in the sand

Recent Examples on the Web

Get the Recipe 28 of 35 Glazed Buttermilk Donut Cake Coffee cake and doughnuts are always in the courtyard after the church service, so why not bring both of them to the potluck at the same time? —Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2024

The Grinchy Claus Doughnut is an original glazed doughnut dipped in chocolate icing. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 25 Nov. 2024

According to a press release, customers can purchase the doughnuts individually or in half-dozen and dozen boxes through the drive-thru, delivery or the McDonald's app. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024

Building Brick Electric Waffle Maker $40 Amazon Dash mini doughnut maker This zero-fuss countertop doughnut maker allows little chefs to make deliciously warm and fluffy doughnuts in minutes, no frying required. —Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

dough + nut entry 1 (in sense "rounded cake or biscuit," as in ginger nut, spice nut)

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

doughnut

noun

dough·​nut

variants also donut

-(ˌ)nət

1

: a small ring of sweet dough fried in fat

2

: something resembling a doughnut especially in shape