Berliner

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sweet fried doughnut typically filled with fruit preserves or creams, also designating someone from Berlin who embraces the city's heritage, as well as a popular bakery item in European festive traditions
2. This pastry, known for its jam-filled center and sugar coating, also refers to an individual from Berlin who shares in its cultural identity, in addition to being a favored treat during special occasions in various European regions
3. A type of pastry filled with jam or cream and dusted with sugar, it also denotes a native or resident of Berlin, as well as a beloved culinary specialty enjoyed during celebrations across Europe

Etymology: The jam-filled pastry takes its name from the city of Berlin, though the link is more roundabout than it first appears. In German, "Berliner" simply means a native or inhabitant of Berlin, and the same word was applied to a type of doughnut, the "Berliner Pfannkuchen" family of fried pastries sold in German-speaking lands. When the doughnut crossed into English, the name stuck to the jam-filled version, so a pastry eaten across the world carries the name of a German capital's citizens. The English word for the people of Berlin can also be formed directly within English, from "Berlin" plus the suffix "-er", which marks a person connected with a place. The two routes meet in the same spelling, so it is hard to say which one gave rise to the pastry's name in English, and the German origin of the word is the one that accounts for the food sense.

Synonyms: doughnut, pastry, sweetroll, treat, delicacy