icing

1 of 2

noun (1)

ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ 

1

: a sweet flavored usually creamy mixture used to coat baked goods (such as cupcakes)

called also frosting

2

: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event

—often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2

noun (2)

: an illegal act by an ice hockey player of shooting a puck from within the defensive zone or defensive half of the rink beyond the opponents' goal line but not into the goal

Examples of icing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

These classic glazed donut holes have been dipped in pink-and-green icing, paying homage to the villainous and heroic forces of Oz. —Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025

The piece is decorated with details that look like icing and candy for a traditional gingerbread look that can last for years to come, and the durable metal frame structure can withstand the elements, too. —Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2025

It is made of soft sugar cookie pieces, icing and sprinkles all blended with soft serve ice cream. —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025

But in the third, with the Penguins starting to hem the Wild into their zone, Matt Boldy, who has one goal in the past eight games, threw an errant pass for an icing. —Michael Russo, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1948, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing icing

• anti-icing
• icing on the cake
• icing sugar
• royal icing

Rhymes for icing

• deicing
• dicing
• pricing
• slicing
• splicing
• enticing
• sufficing
• sacrificing
• satisficing

Kids Definition

icing

1 of 2 noun

ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ 

1

: a sweet coating for baked goods (as cakes)

called also frosting

2

: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event

—often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2 noun

: the shooting of a hockey puck the length of the rink and beyond the opponent's goal line