# Bismarck

/ˈbɪzˌmɑɹk/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bismarck
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a type of sweet pastry filled with jam or cream, often covered in sugar. In some places, it is also a name for a specific kind of dark grey color.

For teachers: a jelly-filled doughnut or similar filled pastry, typically deep-fried and coated in sugar. Capitalised when referring to the 19th-century German statesman Otto von Bismarck or things named after him.

## Examples

- I bought a fresh raspberry bismarck for breakfast.
- The bakery is famous for its bismarcks, which are generously filled with homemade custard and dusted with powdered sugar.
- While the term is most commonly associated with the German Chancellor, in North American regional dialects it frequently identifies a specific variety of Berliner or jelly-filled pastry.

## Usage notes

- When referring to the pastry, it is a common noun; when referring to the historical figure or the capital of North Dakota, it must be capitalised.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.