Danish

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdeɪ.nɪʃ/

Definitions

1. A sweet pastry that is flaky and typically contains fruit or cream, a descriptor for anyone hailing from Denmark or associated with its culture, and relating to the language used in Denmark, part of the North Germanic linguistic group
2. A type of pastry known for its layers and rich filling, representing a person from Denmark or their cultural heritage, and pertaining to the spoken tongue of the Danish people that belongs to the North Germanic branch of languages
3. A flaky baked good commonly filled with sweet ingredients, an identity label for individuals from Denmark, and an identifier of the primary language spoken in Denmark, classified within the North Germanic languages

Etymology: The adjective "Danish" is older than the pastry, and the pastry is named for a shortening of a longer phrase. The noun most people reach for, the flaky sweet bun, began as an ellipsis of "Danish pastry," the full name in which "Danish" modifies "pastry" and then dropped out, leaving the adjective to stand alone as a noun. The language and the people came first: the adjective descends from the Old English "Dene," the name for the people of Denmark, with the suffix "-ish" meaning "of or belonging to." The pastry's own name records a reputation rather than a recipe. Bakers in Denmark and Austria are the traditional sources of the laminated dough, and the English name transferred the nationality of a baker onto the product. The word's sense as a dessert is therefore a shortening of a label, not a claim about where the bun was first made.

Synonyms: pastry, croissant, tart, brioche, bakery item