topping

1 of 2

noun

top·​ping ˈtä-piŋ How to pronounce topping (audio)
1
: something that forms a top
especially : a garnish (such as a sauce, bread crumbs, or whipped cream) placed on top of a food for flavor or decoration
2
: the action of one that tops
3
: something removed by topping

topping

2 of 2

adjective

1
: highest in rank or eminence
2
New England : proud, arrogant
3
chiefly British : excellent

Example Sentences

Noun What toppings do you want on the pizza? an ice-cream sundae with whipped-cream topping Adjective I know a topping new pub in Southwark where we won't run into any toffs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But the real clincher is the floral topping, which takes it from an everyday snack to a spring treat worthy of a Mother's Day celebration. Erin Cavoto, Country Living, 19 Apr. 2023 What about toppings? Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Apr. 2023 Add some chocolate chips, cinnamon toast cereal, or other favorite toppings to the mix. Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2023 The bubble tea shop, a sleek spot steps away from the UC Berkeley campus, offered several toppings: small boba pearls, standard-size boba, red bean, grass jelly… and noodles? Food Guide Where to eat in the Bay Area. Janelle Bitker, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2023 The 1,436-square-foot restaurant will offer build-your-own-pasta bowls, starting with a base of four styles — fusilli, rigatoni, fettuccine, bigoli — followed by sauce toppings that range from pesto and cacio e pepe to amatriciana and bolognese. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2023 Teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon powdered sugar (for garnish) Fruit preserves, honey, maple syrup or other toppings To make savory: Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat with a fork. Joan Elovitz Kazan, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2023 Diners choose sauces and toppings from a bar with myriad options, then cook their own meat, seafood, noodles and vegetables in the hot pot of broth on the table. Rebecca Treon, Chron, 1 Apr. 2023 Hot Dog of the Homestand will feature toppings tailored to the Indians' opponent. Evan Frank, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2023
Adjective
Start with this easy nachos recipe, then go to town with topping options such as cilantro, jalapeno peppers, sour cream, and salsa. Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2022 This Greek Yogurt Parfait comes with one of two topping options, granola or cookie crumbs. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 6 Dec. 2022 Make topping: Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 5 July 2022 In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, butter and walnuts to form a crumbly topping. Jane Black, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2022 However, reducing a tree's size by indiscriminately lopping off large branches, referred to as 'topping,' is not a good way of caring for trees. Rachael Baihn, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2022 To get people excited about pizza again, Papa Johns is offering a new spin on the classic, with Papa Bowls that are all topping — no crust. Danielle Wiener-bronner, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 Work the butter through the dry ingredients to form a crumbly topping. Julia O'malley, Anchorage Daily News, 30 June 2022 The firm expects that growth rate to continue as landlords compete fiercely in markets where vacancy rates are nearing or topping record levels. Peter Grant, WSJ, 19 Oct. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'topping.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of topping was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near topping

Cite this Entry

“Topping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topping. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

topping

noun
top·​ping
ˈtäp-iŋ
: a food served on top of another to make it look or taste better

More from Merriam-Webster on topping

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