fruitcake

noun

fruit·​cake ˈfrüt-ˌkāk 

plural fruitcakes

1

: a rich cake containing nuts, dried or candied fruits, spices, and usually alcohol (such as rum or brandy)

2

: a foolish or eccentric person

The roommate once thought of as a fruitcake is the candidate likeliest to be our next Secretary of State.

—Erich Segal

also, sometimes offensive : someone who is not mentally sound

"… The guy on the tape's a fruitcake. And he has a rifle. You are not safe here."

—Pat Conroy

Synonyms of fruitcake

• eccentric
• character
• nut
• crackpot
• wacko
• nutter
• nutcase
• weirdo
• flake
• loony
• kook
• original
• screwball
• crank
• piece of work
• codger
• oddball
• loon

Examples of fruitcake in a Sentence

children in the neighborhood once regarded the reclusive scientist as a fruitcake

he agreed to an evaluation so they could see he wasn't a fruitcake

Recent Examples on the Web

The inside resembles a fruitcake while the outside is coated in crispy cornflakes. —Macie Stump, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2025

Of course, lawsuits don’t always move quickly and instead can move forward at the speed of fruitcake batter in a wind tunnel, especially with appeals being made. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025

In Roman times, soldiers ate fruitcakes made from barley, nuts, pomegranate seeds and honey. —Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025

The finish is long, sweet, and fruity with lingering fruitcake notes, dark chocolate, and a rich, oaky finish. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1687, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fruitcake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache

Kids Definition

fruitcake

noun

fruit·​cake ˈfrüt-ˌkāk 

: a rich cake containing nuts, dried or candied fruits, and spices