icing

1 of 2

noun (1)

ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ How to pronounce icing (audio)
1
: a sweet flavored usually creamy mixture used to coat baked goods (such as cupcakes)

called also frosting

2
: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event
often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2

noun (2)

: an illegal act by an ice hockey player of shooting a puck from within the defensive zone or defensive half of the rink beyond the opponents' goal line but not into the goal

Examples of icing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The cake is quick to whip up and requires no icing or adornment. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025 For a simpler choice, the Caramel Churro Doughnut is rolled in cinnamon sugar and topped with caramel icing. Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025 Offset spatula This decorating tool is a skinny, rectangular spatula used to assist in smoothing icing, which will give your cake a polished finish. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025 But in all of those films, the effects were simply the icing on the cake — there to augment an already-impressive product (the stories) — rather than the films' reason to exist. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for icing

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1740, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of icing was circa 1740

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Icing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icing. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

icing

1 of 2 noun
ic·​ing ˈī-siŋ How to pronounce icing (audio)
1
: a sweet coating for baked goods (as cakes)

called also frosting

2
: something that adds to the interest, value, or appeal of an item or event
often used in the phrase icing on the cake

icing

2 of 2 noun
: the shooting of a hockey puck the length of the rink and beyond the opponent's goal line

More from Merriam-Webster on icing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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