Croissants

/krwɑːˈsɑːnz/ noun (plural)

Definition

Crescent-shaped pastries made from layers of flaky dough with butter, baked until golden and often eaten for breakfast.

Etymology

From French 'croissant,' the present participle of 'croître' meaning 'to grow' or 'to increase,' from Latin 'crescere.' Named for their distinctive crescent shape, which resembles a growing moon.

Kelly Says

Croissants were invented in Austria, not France—their crescent shape supposedly celebrates an Austrian victory over Ottoman invaders, yet the French perfected them and made them world-famous!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.