doughnut
doughnut Lexical Profile
doughnut Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, ring-shaped or round sweet cake made of rich dough that is deep-fried, often glazed or coated with sugar.
"She stopped at the bakery to buy a dozen glazed doughnuts for the morning office meeting."
Any object that is shaped like a thick ring or a torus.
"The hospital provided him with a rubber doughnut to sit on while recovering from his back surgery."
North American A driving maneuver in which a vehicle is driven in a tight circle while accelerating, leaving circular tire marks on the ground.
"The teenagers were caught by the police after doing doughnuts in the empty supermarket parking lot."
Word Nuance & Usage
The spelling 'donut' is a highly common American variant popularized by commercial brands, though 'doughnut' remains the traditional and internationally standard spelling.
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the early 19th century in the United States, derived from 'dough' and 'nut' (used in the earlier sense of a small, rounded lump or cake).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.