pancake

American  

[pan-keyk] / ˈpænˌkeɪk /

noun

1. a thin, flat cake of batter fried on both sides on a griddle or in a frying pan; griddlecake or flapjack.

2. Also called pancake landing.  an airplane landing made by pancaking.

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verb (used without object)

pancaked, pancaking

1. (of an airplane or the like) to drop flat to the ground after leveling off a few feet above it.

verb (used with object)

pancaked, pancaking

1. Informal. to flatten, especially as the result of a collision or other mishap.

   The car had been pancaked by the bus.

2. to cause (an airplane) to pancake.

pancake British  

/ ˈpænˌkeɪk /

noun

1. 1. a thin flat cake made from batter and fried on both sides, often served rolled and filled with a sweet or savoury mixture

   2. ( as modifier )

      pancake mix

2. a Scot name for drop scone

3. a stick or flat cake of compressed make-up

4. Also called: pancake landing.  an aircraft landing made by levelling out a few feet from the ground and then dropping onto it

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verb

1. to cause (an aircraft) to make a pancake landing or (of an aircraft) to make a pancake landing

pancake Idioms  

1. see flat as a pancake.

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Regionalisms

Pancake, hot cake, griddlecake, and flapjack, with its derived slapjack, are used interchangeably by many people, regardless of whether a pan or griddle is used for cooking, and each term is widely used throughout the U.S. Flannel cake, however, is confined chiefly to the North Midland U.S. and battercake to South Midland and Southern U.S. The following terms have limited regional use and may refer to flat cakes with different recipes or cooking methods: johnnycake, which is used in the Northeastern U.S.; corn cake in the Midland and Southern U.S.; and hoecake in the South Midland and Southern U.S.

Etymology

Origin of pancake

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; pan ¹, cake

Example Sentences

The sign outside adds: "Grab a pancake, then the whole world."

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Sweet breakfasts have never been my natural habitat—good oatmeal is a beloved, comparatively rare exception, as is a single yeasty, griddled buttermilk diner pancake swimming in syrup.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2026

"We squished it flat, like a pancake," Zhao said, "and suddenly we had a low-cost, high-performing design that was much easier to fabricate."

From Science Daily • Jan. 19, 2026

In 2016, I met Emily, who is now my wife, after she heckled me, supportively, during a comedy show in the back of a pancake restaurant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

Sneaky’s mouth is full of pancake, so I add, “We can do that, no problem.”

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

Related Words

• cake
• crepe
• waffle