custard

noun

cus·​tard ˈkə-stərd 

plural custards

: a cooked mixture made of eggs and milk or cream and usually having a thick, creamy consistency

By the eighteenth century it had become the dessert we know today: a layered treat of sponge cake, custard, fruit, jam, whipped cream and spirits.

—Bon Appétit

We toss a laurel wreath to the chefs for their … pastitsio and moussaka, both of which sported a savory custard topping.

—Greg Morago et al.

Smooth and creamy, custard lends itself to a range of both sweet and savory dishes.

—Gabrielle Shaughness

custardy

ˈkə-stər-dē 

adjective

Examples of custard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Orange and cranberry bread pudding is a cozy Southern classic that combines the tangy brightness of citrus with the tart sweetness of cranberries, soaked into rich, custard-like bread. —Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 18 Nov. 2025

Headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Culver's has more than 1,000 locations across 26 states, and is well-known for its ButterBurgers and frozen custard. —Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 17 Nov. 2025

The handheld dessert treat consists of a creamy custard stuffed between a flaky, doughy crust that's glazed in sugar and topped with mini rainbow sprinkles. —Emily Rella, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025

Pumpkin Pie Trader Joe’s is offering their own version of a mouthwatering pumpkin pie, comforting pumpkin custard filled with sweet and spicy flavors. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, a kind of pie, alteration of crustarde, crustade, probably from Anglo-French *crustade, from cruste crust, from Latin crusta — more at crust

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing custard

• custard apple

Rhymes for custard

• blustered
• bustard
• clustered
• flustered
• mustard
• mustered

Kids Definition

custard

noun

cus·​tard ˈkəs-tərd 

: a sweetened mixture of milk and eggs baked, boiled, or frozen