A rich dessert made with cream cheese, eggs, and sugar on a crust. Slang term for photographs emphasizing attractive women.
Compound of 'cheese' + 'cake.' The dessert dates to ancient Greece but the modern cream cheese version emerged in 18th century Europe. The slang sense (opposite of 'beefcake' for men) developed in 1930s American entertainment industry.
Ancient Greeks and Romans ate cheesecake at weddings for good luck, making it possibly the world's oldest wedding cake tradition! The modern slang usage creates a gendered pair with 'beefcake,' showing how food metaphors entered the language of photography and entertainment.
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