Scone

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /skɒn/

Definitions

1. A baked item that is usually round and can be sweet or savory, often served with spreads like butter or jam during tea time
2. This pastry, which may include various ingredients such as fruits or spices, is typically enjoyed with drinks and has a soft texture
3. A type of quick bread that can be sweet or savory, commonly served with beverages and often accompanied by toppings like clotted cream or jam

Etymology: The scone's most surprising twist is that the name may come from a Dutch or German phrase for fine white bread, or possibly from a Gaelic word for a lump or mouthful. Its first known home was Scotland, where it was a flat, round loaf rather than the small cake most people picture today. The leading theory links it to Middle Dutch "schoonbroot", meaning "fine bread", built from "schoon" (fine, bright) and "broot" (bread), or to the Middle Low German "schöne", which carried a similar sense of fine flour bread. Scots speakers would have borrowed the idea of a costly, finely milled loaf, which suited a food that once marked a special occasion. A rival suggestion, Scottish Gaelic "sgonn", meaning lump or mouthful, is also put forward, so the origin remains open.

Synonyms: biscuit, pastry, roll