noun
Uncommon
cupcake
KUHP-kayk
Cupcake (noun) means a small individual cake, usually baked in a paper or foil cup and topped with icing. Example: “She brought a tray of chocolate cupcakes to the office party.”
noun
1
A small individual cake, usually baked in a paper or foil cup and topped with icing.
"She brought a tray of chocolate cupcakes to the office party."
"Each kid got their own cupcake with sprinkles on top."
2
Informal: a soft or easily beaten opponent, or someone seen as weak.
"The champions dismissed the underdogs as a bunch of cupcakes before the final."
How to use cupcake
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA single-serving cake baked in a small cup-shaped mold, or (informally) a weak, easy opponent.
Common pairings
bake cupcakes
a batch of cupcakes
frost a cupcake
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Word forms
- Plural
- cupcakes
- Third person singular
- cupcakes
- Past tense
- cupcaked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She brought a tray of chocolate _____ to the office party.
Etymology
A simple compound of cup and cake — the cake was originally baked in small cup-shaped molds or actual teacups.
Related words
Rhymes for cupcake
See all rhymes for cupcake →Frequently asked questions
What does “cupcake” mean?
The word “cupcake” means a small individual cake, usually baked in a paper or foil cup and topped with icing. In plain terms, a single-serving cake baked in a small cup-shaped mold, or (informally) a weak, easy opponent.
How do you pronounce “cupcake”?
“Cupcake” is pronounced KUHP-kayk (/ˈkʌpkeɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “cupcake” in a sentence?
Here is “cupcake” used in a sentence: “She brought a tray of chocolate cupcakes to the office party.”
What is another word for “cupcake”?
Words with a similar meaning to “cupcake” include pansy, sissy, fox, stunner, heartmate and muffin.
What part of speech is “cupcake”?
“Cupcake” is a noun.
Is “cupcake” a common word?
“Cupcake” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “cupcake” have?
“Cupcake” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small individual cake, usually baked in a paper or foil cup and topped with icing.
