pancake

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A thin batter cake fried in a pan or on a griddle in oil or butter; in particular:
2. (countable, uncountable) A thin batter cake fried in a pan or on a griddle in oil or butter; in particular:
3. (uncountable) A kind of makeup, consisting of a thick layer of a compressed powder.
4. (countable) A type of throw, usually with a ring where the prop is thrown in such a way that it rotates round an axis of the diameter of the prop.
5. (countable) Anything very thin and flat.
6. (uncountable) Composite leather made of scraps, glue and board, by extension of (4), material originally used for insoles, but later used also for heels and even soles.
7. (countable, slang) A box on which an actor stands to make them appear taller.
8. (countable) A defensive play in which the ball bounces off the top of a hand that has been pressed flat against the floor.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To make a pancake landing.
2. To collapse one floor after another.
3. (transitive) To flatten violently.
4. (intransitive) To lie out flat, like a pancake; sploot.

Synonyms

griddlecake

flapjack

crepe

crêpe

hot cake

battercake

fritter

hotcake

pancakes

🥞

cake

🍰

flapcake

flannel-cake

flannel cake

waffle

🧇

rice cake

drop scone

closed compound

chupati

flat loaf

slap jack

lily-pad ice

plate ice

pan ice

millet cake

Bauchlandung

biscuit

saddle blanket

crumpet

donut

griddle cake

muffin

pan

pancake ice

scone

blin

blini

bliny

chapati

French pancake

lay flat

Translations

crêpe

Pfannkuchen

pannenkoek

Eierkuchen

frittella

τηγανίτα

pannekoek

panqueque

crespolino

crespella

panqueca

galette

beignet

pancake

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpæn.keɪk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: pancake

Cognate with Old Saxon: pannakōkilo

Cognate with Old High German: phankuohho

Cognate with Middle High German: phankuoche

Cognate with German: Pfannkuchen

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Ponkouke

Cognate with Western Frisian: pankoek

Cognate with Dutch: pannenkoek

In summary

Inherited from Middle English pancake, panne cake, pankake, ponkake. By surface analysis, pan + cake.
Perhaps adapted from Middle Low German pankôke, pannekôke, from Old Saxon *pannakōko (suggested by derivatives Old Saxon pannakōkilo and pannakōkilīn), where the compound is much older; compare Old High German phankuohho (8th century), whence Middle High German phankuoche, German Pfannkuchen (“pancake”); further
Saterland Frisian Ponkouke, Ponkuuke (“pancake”), West Frisian pankoek (“pancake”), Dutch pannenkoek (“pancake”), German Low German Pannkook (“pancake”).
The juggling sense is by analogy with a pancake being tossed in a pan.