dessert
gb/dɪzˈɚt/ us/dɪzˈɚt/
A1
English
~ 8800
desszert
NOUN
A1
1
desszert
A2
Usage pattern:
have [something] for dessert
We had chocolate cake for dessert after the Sunday roast.
A vasárnapi sült után csokoládétortát ettünk desszertnek.
The restaurant offers a different homemade dessert every day.
Az étterem mindennap más házi desszertet kínál.
I’m so full that I think I’ll skip dessert tonight.
She ordered a light fruit salad for dessert instead of ice cream.
Dessert was a rich lemon tart with fresh cream.
Learner examples
We ate ice cream for dessert.
Desszertnek fagylaltot ettünk.
He wants something sweet for dessert.
Valami édeset szeretne desszertnek.
I am too full, so I do not want dessert.
What is for dessert tonight?
We had pizza for dinner and cookies for dessert.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse the spelling of "dessert" with "desert". "Dessert" (sweet food after a meal) has two s’s, while "desert" (dry land) has one. Another confusion is with the phrase "just deserts" (meaning: the punishment or reward someone deserves), which is usually spelled with one s in standard written English, even though it sounds like "desserts".
Meaning
Sweet course after a meal
Collocations
have dessert
|for dessert
|dessert menu
|dessert wine
|chocolate dessert
|skip dessert
Synonyms
pudding (In British English, often means the dessert course in general; in American English, usually only a soft, creamy dessert like chocolate pudding.)
|
sweet (Informal British English for the dessert course; slightly more casual than "dessert".)
|
afters (Informal British English; specifically refers to the course eaten after the main course.)
Antonyms
main course (The main, usually savory part of a meal, which is typically eaten before dessert.)
Themes
food
|daily life
|restaurants
|food_drink
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Sweet food that you eat at the end of a meal.
The usually sweet course of a meal that is eaten at the end, such as cake, ice cream, or fruit.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dessert
IPA
GB/dɪzˈɚt/
US/dɪzˈɚt/
Syllables & stress
dessert (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dessert
- Plural: dessert, desserts
Word family
Expressions
dessert bar
1/dɪzˈɚt bˈɑɹ/
fixed phrase
Place that mainly serves desserts
A small restaurant, shop, or counter that mostly sells desserts like cakes, ice cream, or sweets.
Examples
- After the movie, we stopped at a dessert bar for ice cream.
- The hotel lobby has a dessert bar with many kinds of cakes.
- They opened a new dessert bar that stays open late.
dessert menu
1/dɪzˈɚt mˈɛnju/
fixed phrase
List of desserts in a restaurant
A page or small menu in a restaurant that shows all the desserts you can choose.
Examples
- Could we see the dessert menu, please?
- The dessert menu features several types of cheesecake.
- They updated the dessert menu to include more fruit-based options.
dessert plate
1/dɪzˈɚt plˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Small plate for dessert
A small plate that is used to serve dessert.
Examples
- The waiter cleared the main plates and brought clean dessert plates.
- She arranged the cakes neatly on dessert plates.
- Each guest received a decorated dessert plate with a slice of pie.
dessert spoon
1/dɪzˈɚt spˈun/
fixed phrase
Medium spoon for dessert
A spoon that is a little bigger than a teaspoon, used for eating dessert.
Examples
- Please set the dessert spoon above the plate.
- She handed him a dessert spoon for his ice cream.
- Each pudding came with a small dessert spoon.
dessert wine
1/dɪzˈɚt wˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
Sweet wine for drinking with dessert
A sweet wine that people usually drink with dessert or after a meal.
Examples
- We ordered a glass of dessert wine to go with the chocolate tart.
- This rich dessert wine pairs well with blue cheese and nuts.
- They ended the meal with coffee and a small dessert wine.
for dessert
1/fɚ dɪzˈɚt/
fixed phrase
As the sweet course
Used to say what sweet food you eat after the main part of a meal.
Examples
- We’re having apple pie for dessert.
- What would you like for dessert this evening?
- They served fresh berries and cream for dessert at the wedding.
save room for dessert
1/sˈeɪv ɹˈum fɚ dɪzˈɚt/
fixed phrase
Not eat too much before dessert
To not eat too much of the main food so you can still eat dessert at the end of the meal.
Examples
- Don’t fill up on bread; save room for dessert.
- I always try to save room for dessert when we go to that restaurant.
- She told the kids to save room for dessert because she had baked a cake.
skip dessert
1/skˈɪp dɪzˈɚt/
fixed phrase
Not have any dessert
To decide not to eat dessert at the end of a meal.
Examples
- I’m trying to eat less sugar, so I’ll skip dessert tonight.
- He was so full from the main course that he decided to skip dessert.
- We can share an appetizer if we skip dessert.