croissant
UK[ˈkrwæsɒ̃]US[krəˈsɑːnt]
n
a rich, buttery, crescent-shaped roll of leavened dough or puff pastry.
Etymology
the english word 'croissant' is a direct borrowing from the french word for 'crescent', which itself derives from the latin verb 'crescere', meaning 'to grow, arise, or increase'. this latin root is also the source of english words like 'crescent', 'increase', and 'crescendo'. the pastry's name is a direct reference to its iconic crescent shape, which was historically adopted by viennese bakers in the 17th century to symbolize the ottoman empire's emblem. the term entered english in the late 19th century, retaining its french spelling and pronunciation to denote the specific flaky, buttery pastry.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french. it is not productively segmented using english morphemes. the french word 'croissant' is the present participle of the verb 'croître', meaning 'to grow' or 'to increase', and literally means 'growing' or 'crescent'.
Examples
i like to have a warm croissant with my morning coffee.
the bakery on the corner makes the most delicious chocolate-filled croissants.
she carefully layered the dough to achieve the perfect flaky texture for her croissants.