ENGLISH
REFERENCE

danish

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈdeɪnɪʃ// UK //dˈeɪnɪʃ// dan·ish Archaic Informal

n. a sweet, flaky pastry that often has fruit, jam, or cheese in the middle. It is a popular choice for breakfast or a snack.

n. a multilayered, laminated sweet pastry of the viennoiserie tradition, typically topped with fruit or cream cheese.


SIMPLE

I bought a cherry Danish for breakfast.

CONTEXTUAL

The bakery is famous for its almond Danish, which sells out every morning before ten o'clock.

COMPLEX

While the pastry is known globally as a Danish, in Denmark it is referred to as 'wienerbrød', reflecting its historical origins with Austrian bakers who settled in Copenhagen.

Etymology 1

Alteration of Middle English Denish, Dench (under the influence of Dan — compare Dane), from Old English Denisċ (“Danish”), from Proto-Germanic *daniskaz. By surface analysis, Dane + -ish.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Urdu دَانِش (dāniś), from Classical Persian دَانِش (dāniš).

Etymology 3

From Dan + -ish.

Usage

When referring to the pastry, it is a countable noun; when referring to the language, it is uncountable.

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