doughnut
UK[ˈdəʊnʌt]US[ˈdoʊnʌt]
n
a small, usually ring-shaped cake of sweetened dough, fried in deep fat.
Morpheme Breakdown
dough
nut
dough
nut
Etymology
the word 'doughnut' is a transparent compound from middle english, directly combining 'dough' and 'nut'. the 'nut' element does not refer to an ingredient but serves as a metaphorical comparison for the cake's original form. early doughnuts were often small, round, and solid, resembling nuts in size and shape, before the now-iconic ring shape became dominant. the term thus logically describes a small, nut-sized cake made from dough.
Analysis
Structure: dough + nut
dough (origin: old english 'dag', meaning a portion of soft, kneaded flour mixture; functional role: base noun denoting the primary ingredient) + nut (origin: old english 'hnutu', meaning a hard-shelled seed; functional role: noun used metaphorically for shape/size).
Examples
i had a coffee and a glazed doughnut for breakfast.
the bakery is famous for its handmade doughnuts with creative toppings.
he bought a dozen assorted doughnuts for the office meeting.