pastry

noun

pas·​try ˈpā-strē 

plural pastries

1

a

: a dough that is used to make pies and other baked goods and typically has a high fat content : paste sense 1a

b

: usually sweet baked goods made of dough having a high fat content

a plate of tempting pastry

see also danish pastry, french pastry

2

: a piece of pastry

I had a pastry and a cup of tea.

Examples of pastry in a Sentence

He worked on the filling while I prepared the pastry.

She had a pastry and coffee for breakfast.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ishnoelle blends blue corn from the Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project with Koda Farms rice flour and poolish (yeast, water and pastry flour) to achieve the distinct violet hue and a slight chew. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the cut side of the sandwich rolls with the garlic butter, about 1 tablespoon per roll. —ABC News, 15 June 2026

The real star of a meal at Marcel is dessert, the domain of the pastry chef Rae Gaylord. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 14 June 2026

Visitors can also hike through the salt marshes of Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, stop for coffee and pastries at Dave's Coffee, or browse the eclectic shops and gardens at Fantastic Umbrella Factory, a former 19th-century farmyard turned open-air shopping village. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

paste entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing pastry

• choux pastry
• Danish pastry
• French pastry
• pastry cream
• puff pastry

Kids Definition

pastry

noun

past·​ry

ˈpā-strē

plural pastries

1

: sweet baked goods (as cakes or tarts) made of dough or having a crust made of enriched dough

2

: a piece of pastry