Pancake: Definition, Pronunciation, and Usage

Meaning 1：thin flat cake (Pancake)

Pancake 🔊

/ˈpæn.keɪk/

A thin, flat cake made from batter and cooked in a pan. It's often eaten for breakfast with sweet toppings.

Stack of golden pancakes with honey and banana slices

thin flat cake 🔊

➕

/θɪn flæt keɪk/

A thin, flat cake made from batter and cooked in a pan. It is typically served for breakfast with sweet toppings like syrup, fruit, or butter.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Compound of 'pan' (cooking vessel) and 'cake' (baked good).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a cake that's made in a pan—easy to remember because it's literally a 'pan-cake'.

📖 Example

My dad makes the best pancakes every Sunday morning, and we all gather around the kitchen table to enjoy them. 🔊 My dad makes the best pancakes every Sunday morning, and we all gather around the kitchen table to enjoy them.

🔗 Collocations

fluffy pancakes – Pancakes that are light and airy in texture.

pancake batter – The liquid mixture of flour, eggs, milk, etc., used to make pancakes.

stack of pancakes – Several pancakes placed on top of each other on a plate.

🔄 Synonyms

hotcake (n.) – Another name for pancake, especially in American English.

flapjack (n.) – A flat cake made from batter, often synonymous with pancake but can also refer to a type of oat bar in British English.

crepe (n.) – A very thin pancake, often filled with sweet or savory ingredients.

🚫 Antonyms

omelette (n.) – A dish made from beaten eggs cooked in a pan, often with fillings, unlike the batter-based pancake.

🌱 Derivatives

pancake-like (adj.) – Resembling or characteristic of a pancake in shape or texture.

pancake makeup (n.) – A type of thick, flat cosmetic foundation applied with a sponge.

📖 Cultural Story

Pancakes date back to ancient Greece and Rome, where they were made with wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk. In English culture, they are closely tied to Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), a day of feasting before Lent.