Definitions
01dairy product
A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun Cooking
n. the thick, white or pale yellow fatty part of milk that rises to the top.
n. the fatty part of milk which separates from the liquid; often used as a culinary ingredient or topping.
日本語:クリーム※
“She poured a little bit of cream into her coffee to make it smoother.”
“The recipe calls for heavy double cream to be whisked until it forms stiff peaks for the dessert topping.”
Synonyms
02lotion
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Medicine
n. a thick liquid or soft substance that you rub into your skin to make it soft or to treat a problem.
n. a viscous emulsion of oil and water intended for topical application to the skin for cosmetic or medicinal purposes.
“You should put some sun cream on your shoulders so you don't get burned.”
“The dermatologist prescribed a medicated steroid cream to alleviate the persistent inflammation on the patient's hands.”
Synonyms
03the best part
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the best people or things in a particular group.
n. the most excellent or desirable part of a group or entity; often used in the idiom 'the cream of the crop'.
“The students at this university are the cream of the crop.”
“The scholarship program aims to attract the cream of the nation's young scientific talent to its research facilities.”
04colour
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a pale, yellowish-white colour.
n. a yellowish-white hue resembling the colour of dairy cream.
“The walls were painted a soft cream to make the room feel warmer.”
“The bride chose a dress in a delicate shade of cream rather than a stark, traditional white.”
Synonyms
05to mix ingredients
B2 · Upper Intermediate Cooking
v. to mix butter and sugar together until they are soft and smooth.
v. to work one or more foods until they are soft and creamy, typically by beating butter and sugar together.
“First, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.”
“The baker instructed his apprentice to cream the fats thoroughly to ensure the cake had a light, airy texture.”
06to defeat easily
C1 · Advanced Sports Informal · American English
v. to beat someone very easily in a game or competition.
v. to defeat an opponent decisively or overwhelmingly.
“Our team got creamed in the final game of the season.”
“The underdog team was absolutely creamed by the defending champions, losing by more than forty points.”
Antonyms
07colour description
B1 · Intermediate
adj. having a pale, yellowish-white colour.
adj. possessing a yellowish-white hue; non-gradable when referring to a specific colour standard.
“She wore a cream silk blouse to the interview.”
“The interior designer suggested cream curtains to complement the dark mahogany furniture in the study.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cream” in context.
Verb
01. add cream to coffee
“Would you like me to add some cream to your coffee?”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. apply the cream
“You should apply the cream to your face twice a day for the best results.”
verb + noun
03. whip the cream
“He helped his mother whip the cream until it was thick and fluffy.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. shaving cream
“He realized he had run out of shaving cream halfway through his morning routine.”
adj + noun
05. sour cream
“I love putting a spoonful of sour cream on top of my baked potato.”
adj + noun
06. thick cream
“The recipe calls for a cup of thick cream to make the sauce richer.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. ice cream
“The children wanted to go to the park to get some chocolate ice cream.”
noun + noun
08. cream of the crop
“These students are the cream of the crop and will likely attend top universities.”
noun + of + noun
09. pot of cream
“She bought a small pot of cream to serve with the fresh strawberries.”
noun + of + noun
Etymology
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).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/cream
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR