doughnut

noun

dough·​nut ˈdō-(ˌ)nət How to pronounce doughnut (audio)
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 adjective

Examples of doughnut in a Sentence

drawing doughnuts in the sand
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So Doughnut Charlie’s first taste of Idaho was a doughnut in a parking lot. Vincent Medina, Idaho Statesman, 16 Jan. 2025 At the center, he was offered doughnuts and coffee and told to wait. Rick Rojas, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 Top picks in the Carolinas: Krispy Kreme Doughnut Factory Tour (Winston-Salem, NC): Discover the birthplace of the famous glazed doughnuts and watch them being made — fresh and hot. Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 14 Jan. 2025 Dunkin' began offering the specialty drink – a collaboration between the doughnut maker and the pop star – on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for doughnut 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of doughnut was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near doughnut

Cite this Entry

“Doughnut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doughnut. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on doughnut

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!