doughnut

noun

dough·​nut ˈdō-(ˌ)nət 

variants or less commonly donut

1

: a small usually ring-shaped piece of sweet fried dough

2

: something (such as a mathematical torus) that has a round shape like a doughnut

3

: a controlled skid that sends an automobile into a tight circle of at least 360 degrees

—usually used in the phrase do doughnuts

Doing doughnuts? You haven't heard about this? This is what they steal the cars for. Top speed, they slam on the brakes, yank the emergency brake, twist the steering wheel, and the car starts spinning. Wheeling the car in circles at tremendous speeds.

—Philip Roth

doughnutlike

ˈdō-(ˌ)nət-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of doughnut in a Sentence

drawing doughnuts in the sand

Recent Examples on the Web

Zoom out: Shipley claims to be the U.S.'s largest chain whose sales are mostly derived from doughnuts, given that the majority of Dunkin's sales are tied to beverages, followed by Krispy Kreme, per Dekker. —Richard Collings, Axios, 11 Feb. 2025

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a recall for 60 baked products, including a variety of doughnuts, over concerns of potential listeria contamination. —Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2025

Everyone who purchases the shirt can pick up a free dozen doughnuts every week for the rest of 2025 — with a $5 minimum purchase each time — if the Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. —Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025

The universe could be boundless, continuing in all directions without end, or it could be sealed up in a compact shape such as a sphere or doughnut. —Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

dough + nut entry 1 (in sense "rounded cake or biscuit," as in ginger nut, spice nut)

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

doughnut

noun

dough·​nut

variants also donut

-(ˌ)nət

1

: a small ring of sweet dough fried in fat

2

: something resembling a doughnut especially in shape