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

Strawberries, sugar, lemon, and lime juice create the base layer with the same repeated by substituting blueberries for the top layer, while the middle is an ice cream-like custard. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026

Cooked noodles soak up the thick egg batter for a custard-like texture with pops of freshness from peas. —Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026

In many states, there's a restaurant chain, a fast food chain called Culver's, known for burgers and custard. —Dana Taylor, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026

Cookware made with copper is thus known for its even heating and responsiveness to changes in temperature, capable of accommodating subtle adjustments for finicky things like sauces and custards. —Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026

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