cream

cream — noun

1. the thick, pale layer of fat found on fresh milk, frequently added to dishes dur

1.nounA2
Definition

the thick, pale layer of fat found on fresh milk, frequently added to dishes during cooking or baking, or spooned over desserts

Example

Kemi poured fresh cream over the bowl of strawberries for dessert.

collocation: fresh cream / pour cream

Would you like some cream in your coffee, or do you prefer it black?

Common collocations
  • fresh cream
  • whipped cream
  • heavy cream
  • double cream
  • cream sauce
  • cream cake
Synonyms
  • whipped cream

    cream that has been beaten until light and fluffy, a specific prepared form

  • single cream

    thinner cream for pouring, common in British English

  • double cream

    thick cream with high fat content, used in British cooking

Antonyms

Usage Note

In recipes, 'heavy cream' (US) or 'double cream' (UK) refers to cream with a high fat content that whips easily.

Common Mistakes

I put some milk on my cake.
I put some cream on my cake.
Milk is thin and watery; cream is thick and fatty, used differently in desserts.

2. a pale yellowish-white colour, like the colour of milk cream

2.nounA2
Definition

a pale yellowish-white colour, like the colour of milk cream

Example

Andrés chose a cream colour for the living room walls to keep things bright.

collocation: cream colour for walls

The wedding invitations were printed on cream paper with gold lettering.

Common collocations
  • cream paint
  • cream paper
  • cream fabric
  • cream walls
Synonyms
  • ivory

    slightly more yellow and warm than cream

  • off-white

    any white with a small amount of another colour; broader than cream

  • beige

    darker and more brown than cream

Usage Note

Used as a colour name in paint, fashion, and design. Often paired with other neutral tones such as beige, ivory, and tan.

3. a soft, thick product that people put on their skin to moisturise, protect, or t

3.nounB1
Definition

a soft, thick product that people put on their skin to moisturise, protect, or treat a medical condition

Example

Imran applies sunscreen cream every morning before he goes out into the sun.

protective use: sunscreen cream

The doctor gave Niran a special cream to treat the rash on his arms.

Common collocations
  • face cream
  • hand cream
  • eye cream
  • sun cream
  • moisturising cream
Synonyms
  • lotion

    thinner and more liquid than cream

  • moisturiser

    specifically for adding moisture to the skin

  • ointment

    thicker and greasier than cream, often medicinal

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific type or container ('I bought three creams at the pharmacy'). Uncountable when referring to the substance generally ('This cream is very moisturising').

Common Mistakes

I put some cream on my face' (for skincare).
I put some face cream on.
In British English, 'cream' alone usually means dairy cream; specify 'face cream' or 'moisturiser' for skincare.

4. a sweet food with a soft, creamy filling inside, often covered in chocolate

4.nounB1
Definition

a sweet food with a soft, creamy filling inside, often covered in chocolate

Example

Putri bought a box of chocolate creams from the sweet shop for her grandmother's visit.

countable: chocolate creams as a type of sweet

These strawberry creams are my favourite kind of sweet from the shop.

Common collocations
  • chocolate creams
  • cream cake
  • cream-filled
  • soft creams
Synonyms

Usage Note

This sense is more common in British English. In the US, 'cream' in confectionery is often called 'creme' filling.

5. a thick, smooth cleaning product for hard surfaces like kitchen counters, sinks,

5.nounB1
Definition

a thick, smooth cleaning product for hard surfaces like kitchen counters, sinks, or bathroom tiles

Example

Lan scrubbed the kitchen counter with a cleaning cream to remove the grease.

use: cleaning cream for kitchen surfaces

You only need a small amount of this cream to clean the entire bathroom sink.

Common collocations
  • cleaning cream
  • scouring cream
  • kitchen cream
Synonyms
  • cleanser

    a more general term for any cleaning product

  • scouring cream

    a cream with mild abrasives for tough stains

6. a smooth, thick soup made with cream or milk and cooked vegetables, meat, or fis

6.nounB1
Definition

a smooth, thick soup made with cream or milk and cooked vegetables, meat, or fish that have been blended until soft

Example

Zayd ordered a bowl of cream of mushroom soup to start his meal.

pattern: cream of [vegetable] soup

The restaurant's cream of tomato soup comes with fresh bread on the side.

Common collocations
  • cream of mushroom
  • cream of tomato
  • cream of chicken
  • cream soup
Synonyms
  • bisque

    a rich, smooth cream soup, usually made from shellfish

  • chowder

    a thick soup with chunks of ingredients, not fully blended like cream soup

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific variety or serving ('I'll have two creams — mushroom and tomato'). Uncountable when referring to the type of soup generally.

7. the finest or most excellent individuals or items within a larger group; the hig

7.nounB2
Definition

the finest or most excellent individuals or items within a larger group; the highest-quality members of a particular set

Example

The university selects only the cream of its graduating students for the honours programme.

figurative idiom: cream of [group] for the best people

This music school takes only the cream of young musicians from across the country.

Common collocations
  • cream of the crop
  • cream of society
  • cream of the class
Synonyms
  • elite

    more formal, can refer to individuals or groups

  • pick

    refers to the best individuals chosen from a group

  • top

    less formal, often used in 'the top of the class'

Antonyms
  • dregs

    the worst or lowest-quality part of a group

Usage Note

Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'the cream of the crop' or 'the cream of [group]'. Used only as a singular noun referring to a collective group.

Common Mistakes

She is the cream of the class.' (referring to one person).
She is one of the cream of the class.
'Cream' here refers to the best group as a whole, not an individual.
Idioms

like a cat that’s got the cream

idiom

Showing great satisfaction or happiness, often because of a personal success or advantage.

After winning the award, Maya smiled like a cat that’s got the cream.

Did you see Brian after he got the promotion? He was like a cat that’s got the cream.

cream — adjective

cream — verb

Word family

  • creamy
    adjectiveA2
  • creamer
    nounB1
  • cream-coloured
    adjectiveA2
  • creaminess
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Cream, butter, yogurt, and sour cream are all dairy products, but they differ in preparation and use. Cream is the fatty layer skimmed from fresh milk, used for pouring over desserts or whipping into a light topping. Butter is made by churning cream until the fat separates from the buttermilk, resulting in a solid block used for spreading and baking. Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with live bacteria, creating a tangy, thick product often eaten as a snack or used in sauces. Sour cream is cream that has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria, giving it a tangy flavour and a thick, spoonable texture — it is commonly used as a topping for baked potatoes or in dips. While cream and butter are high in fat, yogurt and sour cream offer a tangier taste and are often chosen as lighter alternatives in cooking.

cream ↗butter ↗yogurt ↗sour cream

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • cream of the crop
  • cream of the class
  • cream of society
  • whipped cream
  • fresh cream
  • heavy cream
  • double cream
  • sour cream
  • sun cream
  • face cream
  • hand cream
  • cream cheese
  • cream sauce
  • ice cream

Prepositions

  • with cream
  • of cream
  • in cream

Etymology

GaulishLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'cream' entered English around the 14th century from Old French 'creme' (or 'cresme'), which came from Late Latin 'cramum', likely borrowed from a Gaulish (Celtic) source. The original meaning was the fatty layer on milk. By the 16th century, it had expanded to describe cosmetic creams, and by the 17th century it was used figuratively for 'the best part'. The verb sense in cooking appeared in the 19th century.