dough

noun

1
: a mixture that consists essentially of flour or meal and a liquid (such as milk or water) and is stiff enough to knead or roll
2
: something resembling dough especially in consistency
3
: money
doesn't have much dough
4
military : doughboy
doughlike adjective

Example Sentences

I don't have much dough. didn't have to spend a lot of dough for a new stereo
Recent Examples on the Web What’s your favorite treat? Cookie dough, especially from Eat Pastry. Fortune Editors, Fortune Well, 29 May 2023 Staff will scoop eight flavors of vegan ice cream like pistachio, banana pudding and Howard’s favorite, cookie dough. Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 12 May 2023 Press 5 to 6 additional chocolate chips in the tops of each ball of dough. Beth Branch, Country Living, 9 May 2023 Using a 1-ounce scoop, portion dough onto one prepared baking sheet. People Staff, Peoplemag, 5 May 2023 Vigil updated the recipe, traditionally composed of flour and the special lard that makes Argentine empanada dough so delicate and flaky, with a blend of beef tallow and pork lard, as well as changed the bread’s shape. Katie Kelly Bell, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2023 Then there’s the buttery dough reimagined into cube shapes, instead of crescents, with creamy centers. Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Apr. 2023 Wet and dry ingredients are mixed to form a dough that is heated under pressure and pushed through a die machine that cuts it into the kibble pieces. Julie Creswell, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2023 Get the Brisket Samosas recipe at Blend of Spice. 4 Bagel Bites These bagel bites are made of a soft, pillowy dough and then filled with cream cheese. Manal Aman, Woman's Day Magazine, 8 Apr. 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English doh, dogh, dowe, going back to Old English dāg, going back to Germanic *daiga- (whence Middle Dutch deech "dough," Old High German teig, Old Norse deig, deigr, Gothic daigs), ablaut derivative from the base of *digan-, *dīgan- "to knead, shape" (whence Gothic digan, gadigan "to knead, form from clay"), going back to Indo-European *dhei̯ǵh- "knead, shape" — more at feign

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dough was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near dough

Cite this Entry

“Dough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dough. Accessed 8 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

dough

noun
1
: a soft mass of moistened flour or meal thick enough to knead or roll
2
: something resembling dough especially in consistency
3
doughy
ˈdō-ē
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on dough

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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