donut

1 of 2

noun (1)

do·​nut

less common spelling of doughnut

1
: a small usually ring-shaped piece of sweet fried dough
2
: something (such as a mathematical torus) that has a round shape like a doughnut
3
: a controlled skid that sends an automobile into a tight circle of at least 360 degrees
—usually used in the phrase do doughnuts
Doing doughnuts? You haven't heard about this? This is what they steal the cars for. Top speed, they slam on the brakes, yank the emergency brake, twist the steering wheel, and the car starts spinning. Wheeling the car in circles at tremendous speeds.—Philip Roth
variants or less commonly
1
: a small usually ring-shaped piece of sweet fried dough
2
: something (such as a mathematical torus) that has a round shape like a doughnut
3
: a controlled skid that sends an automobile into a tight circle of at least 360 degrees
—usually used in the phrase do doughnuts
Doing doughnuts? You haven't heard about this? This is what they steal the cars for. Top speed, they slam on the brakes, yank the emergency brake, twist the steering wheel, and the car starts spinning. Wheeling the car in circles at tremendous speeds.—Philip Roth

Examples of donut in a Sentence

Noun (2) drawing doughnuts in the sand
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Falling Leaves evokes the lushness of an apple orchard—without venturing into the sugary apple cider donuts—while Spiced Pear smells bright and a little tropical. — Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2026 The Vietnamese business replaced Mochinut, a popular Asian dessert spot famous for its mochi donuts. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
Free doughnuts are limited to one per customer, while supplies last. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2026 This doesn’t mean birthday cake, doughnuts and candy will no longer taste delicious. — Bryn Beeder, The Conversation, 1 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for donut

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

dough + nut entry 1 (in sense "rounded cake or biscuit," as in ginger nut, spice nut)

First Known Use

Noun (2)

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of donut was in 1782

Cite this Entry

“Donut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donut. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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