flan
Flan (noun) means a baked custard dessert, often topped with caramel sauce, popular across Spain and Latin America. Example: “She ordered flan for dessert at the Mexican restaurant.”
How to use flan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dessert; specifically a caramel custard in American/Spanish usage, or an open tart in British usage.
In the UK, flan usually means an open sponge or pastry base with a filling; in the US, flan almost always means the caramel custard dessert.
Word forms
flanned past tense, flans plural, flans plural, flans singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She ordered _____ for dessert at the Mexican restaurant.
Etymology
From French flan, "cheesecake/custard tart," from Old French flaon, from Late Latin fladō, "flat cake."
Rhymes for flan
See all rhymes for flan →Frequently asked questions
What does “flan” mean?
The word “flan” means a baked custard dessert, often topped with caramel sauce, popular across Spain and Latin America. In plain terms, a dessert; specifically a caramel custard in American/Spanish usage, or an open tart in British usage.
How do you pronounce “flan”?
“Flan” is pronounced flan (/flɑn/ in IPA).
How do you use “flan” in a sentence?
Here is “flan” used in a sentence: “She ordered flan for dessert at the Mexican restaurant.”
What part of speech is “flan”?
“Flan” is a noun.
Where does the word “flan” come from?
The word “flan” comes from Late Latin. From French flan, "cheesecake/custard tart," from Old French flaon, from Late Latin fladō, "flat cake.".
How many meanings does “flan” have?
“Flan” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a baked custard dessert, often topped with caramel sauce, popular across Spain and Latin America.