Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

deadcake

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: dead-cake
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A small cake or cookie served at a funeral in Dutch-settled colonial New York, often inscribed with the initials of the deceased.

Example Sentences

"The cakes were of an especial kind and were called "deadcakes." In the case of a funeral in the family of the rich, or of those high-up in the official life of the Colony, large sums were spent on the wine and it was not unusual for a supply of it to be put in the cellar long before the first death so that it would be on hand and improving by age."
"...and of the festivities following Dutch Reformed Church funerals, during which the men who had been invited met after the interment and heartily (some said riotously) toasted the departed with choice wine and "deadcakes" prepared especially for the occasion."
"In addition, they delivered a bottle of wine, a pair of gloves, and two “deadcakes” that were actually large cookies not to be eaten, but kept as a memento of the deceased."

Etymology

Calque of Dutch doodkoek (literally “death cake”), equivalent to dood + koek (English dead + cake).

Inflected Forms

deadcakes (plural) dead cake (alternative)

Questions

What does deadcake mean?: A small cake or cookie served at a funeral in Dutch-settled colonial New York, often inscribed with the initials of the deceased.
Where does deadcake come from?: Calque of Dutch doodkoek (literally “death cake”), equivalent to dood + koek (English dead + cake).

How to pronounce deadcake

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