• Original language: French
  • Original form and meaning: crème 'dairy product, lotion for skin, colour'


(Note: If the status is not specifically indicated then the word is stylistically neutral and generally used; if earlier meaning and status equals current use the former may be expressed by writing "dito". Cf. also the project guidelines.)


Language Form Date of Borrowing (and Obsolescence) Current Meaning and Status Earlier Meanings and Statusses Source
Catalan ... ... '...' '...' ...
Croatian ... ... '...' '...' ...
Czech krém; colour: krémová barva ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Danish creme ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Dutch cra ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; the best part, the top people; a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
English cream 14th c.

figurative sense (sense 6): 1581

Cream-cheese: 1583

1. 'the oily or butyraceous part of milk, which gathers on the top when the milk is left unsdisturbed, by churning it is converted into butter', 2. 'a fancy dish or sweet of which cream is an ingredient or which has the appearence and consistency of cream, as almond, chocolate, ice cream', 3. 'the part of a liquid which gathers on the top like the cream on milk', 4. 'a cream-like preparation used cosmetically', 5. 'used in the names of some cordials and liqueurs, with reference to their viscid character, or acknowledged excellence', 6. 'the most excellent element or part, the best of its kind, the choice part, the quintessence', 7. 'colour: yellowish white, also: a cream-coloured horse, rabbit, or the like' 'a substance or liquor of cream-like consistency http://www.etymonline.com
Estonian kreem ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream' '...' ...
Finnish kerma, colour: kermanvärinen ... 'dairy product; the best part, the top people; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
French ... ... '...' '...' ...
Frisian ... ... '...' '...' ...
German Creme, colour: cremfarben around 1700 'lotion for skin' (dial.); any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour '...' Birken-Silvermann 2003: 141
Hungarian krém, colour: krémszínű ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Irish ... ... '...' '...' ...
Italian crema ... 'lotion for skin' (dial., near Milan); dairy product; any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; the best part, the top people; colour: a yellowish-white colour '...' Birken-Silvermann 2003: 141
Latvian colour: krējuma-; krēmkrāsas- ... 'colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Lithuanian kremas; colour: kreminė spalva ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Maltese ... ... '...' '...' ...
Norwegian 1. -krem; 2. kremen; colour: kremfarge(t) ... '1. any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream;

2. the best part, the top people; colour: a yellowish-white colour'

'...' ...
Polish colur: kremowy ... 'colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Portuguese creme ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Rumantsch ... ... '...' '...' ...
Slovak krém; colour: krémová farba ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Slovenian krema; colour: krem ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Spanish crema ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; the best part, the top people; a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...
Swedish kräm; colour: krämfärgad ... 'any of many substances made of, or similar to, cream; colour: a yellowish-white colour' '...' ...

Annotations edit

Etymology: from OF cresme, blend of LL chrisma "ointment" (from Gk chrisma "unguent"), and LL cramum "cream", perhaps from Gaulish.

Replaced OE ream.

Re-borrowed from F 19c., as creme.

Figurative sense of "most excellent element or part" is from 1581. Cream-cheese is from 1583.

Source: http://www.etymonline.com

Information on Other Languages edit

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