ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pastries

n. plural-only
B1 Intermediate US //ˈpeɪstɹiz// UK //pˈeɪstɹiz// pas·tries

n. sweet baked goods made from a mixture of flour, fat, and water. You often eat them for breakfast or as a dessert, and they are usually flaky or buttery.

n. small cakes or baked items made from a dough of flour, fat, and water, often containing sweet fillings or toppings. Refers to the finished food products rather than the dough itself.


SIMPLE

The bakery sells fresh pastries every morning.

CONTEXTUAL

We ordered a tray of assorted pastries, including croissants and fruit tarts, for the office meeting.

COMPLEX

The delicate layers of the puff pastries were achieved through a laborious process of folding and chilling the butter-rich dough multiple times.

Synonyms
Usage

While 'pastry' can be uncountable when referring to the dough, 'pastries' is the plural form used for individual baked items.

© 2026 English Reference