cookie

noun

cook·​ie ˈku̇-kē How to pronounce cookie (audio)
variants or cooky
plural cookies
1
: a small flat or slightly raised cake
2
a
: an attractive woman
a buxom French cookie who haunts the … colony's one night spotNewsweek
b
: person, guy
a tough cookie
3
cookie : a small file or part of a file stored on a World Wide Web user's computer, created and subsequently read by a website server, and containing personal information (such as a user identification code, customized preferences, or a record of pages visited)

Examples of cookie in a Sentence

This recipe makes about two dozen cookies. She put a batch of cookies into the oven. Don't worry about her—she's a tough cookie. You are one smart cookie.
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.
Homey touches, including evening ice cream and cookies, are guest favorites. Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025 Drop spoonfuls on wax paper and let the cookies set until firm. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025 This layered pie starts with a chocolate wafer cookie crust. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025 We, in collaboration with our partners, store and/or access information on a user's device, including but not limited to IP addresses, unique identifiers, and browsing data stored in cookies, in order to process personal data. Walden Green, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cookie

Word History

Etymology

Dutch koekje, diminutive of koek cake

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cookie was in 1779

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cookie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cookie. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

cookie

noun
cook·​ie
variants or cooky
plural cookies
1
: a small sweet flat or slightly raised cake
2
cookie : a small computer file that contains information relating to websites a person has visited

More from Merriam-Webster on cookie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!