cake
UK: keɪk | US: keɪk
n. a sweet baked food made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients, often layered or decorated
n. a flattened mass of other food (e.g., "fish cake")
vt. to cover or become covered with a hardened layer (e.g., "mud caked on his boots")
The word "cake" traces back to Old Norse kaka, referring to a small, flat baked good. It entered Old English as cāca and evolved into Middle English cake, retaining its core meaning while expanding to include sweetened varieties. The silent "e" was added later, a common feature in English spelling reforms. The word’s simplicity reflects its ancient, cross-cultural role as a staple food.
She baked a chocolate cake for her birthday.
The children decorated the cake with colorful frosting.
He prefers savory rice cakes over sweet desserts.
Dirt had caked onto his shoes after the hike.
The wedding cake was a towering masterpiece.