Sweet coating made of sugar and other ingredients used to decorate cakes and pastries, or the formation of ice on surfaces.
From 'ice' plus the suffix '-ing.' Originally referred to the formation of ice, but by the 18th century was used for sugar coating that resembled ice's smooth, white appearance on cakes.
Icing demonstrates humanity's genius for metaphor - we named this sweet decoration after ice because of its appearance, creating a delicious contradiction where something cold and hard inspired something warm and delightful.
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