cream
n. C / Un. the thick, fatty part of milk that rises to the top. You can also use this word for a thick liquid or lotion you rub into your skin.
n. the fatty part of milk that rises to the surface or is separated by centrifugation. Also refers to a semi-solid emulsion applied topically for medicinal or cosmetic purposes.
I like to put a little cream in my coffee.
The doctor told her to apply the medicated cream to the rash twice a day.
The chef whisked the heavy cream until it formed stiff peaks, creating a rich topping for the seasonal fruit tart.
From Middle English creime, creme, from Old French creme, cresme, blend of Late Latin chrisma (“ointment”) (from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “unguent”)), and Late Latin crāmum (“cream”), from Gaulish crama (compare Welsh cramen (“scab, skin”), Breton crammen), from Proto-Indo-European (s)krama- (compare Middle Irish screm (“surface, skin”), Dutch schram (“abrasion”), Lithuanian kramas (“scurf”)). Doublet of crema and crème. Displaced native Old English rēam (“cream”) (> modern ream). Figurative sense of "most excellent element or part" appears from 1581. Verb meaning "to beat, thrash, wreck" is 1929, U.S. colloquial. The U.S. standard of identity is from 21 CFR 131.3(a).
Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to a specific type or a single serving.