Definition

Noun: 1. A rich dessert: A sweet dessert consisting of a thick, creamy filling primarily made from cream cheese, sugar, and eggs, typically set on a crumb crust (often made from crushed biscuits or graham crackers) and sometimes baked. 2. A photograph: (Informal, dated) A photograph featuring an attractive woman, especially one posing in a manner considered glamorous or alluring, often in minimal or revealing attire.

Usage

• As a dessert: The word is used as a countable noun to refer to the dessert itself, either a whole cake or a single slice.
  • Example: "She baked a delicious cheesecake for the party."
  • Example: "I'll have a slice of strawberry cheesecake, please."
• As a type of photograph: The word is used informally, often in historical or journalistic contexts, to describe a particular style of glamour photography.
  • Example: "The old magazine was famous for its cheesecake pin-up photos."

Advanced Usage

• "Cheesecake" vs. "Beefcake": In mid-20th century slang, "cheesecake" referred to photographs of attractive women, while "beefcake" referred to photographs of muscular men. Both terms describe a style of glamour photography.
  • Example: "The magazine featured both cheesecake and beefcake shots to appeal to a wide audience."

Variants and Related Words

• Cheesecakey (adjective, informal): Resembling or characteristic of cheesecake photography; glamorous in a showy or old-fashioned way.
  • Example: "She struck a cheesecakey pose for the camera."

Different Meanings

The two primary meanings are distinct: 1. Culinary Meaning: A specific type of dessert. This is the dominant and most common meaning in contemporary usage. 2. Cultural/Photographic Meaning: A genre of photography. This usage is now considered somewhat dated and is primarily encountered in discussions of mid-20th-century popular culture.

Synonyms

• For the dessert: (No direct single-word synonym; described as a "cream cheese tart" or "cream cheese cake").
• For the photograph: Pin-up, glamour shot, pin-up photo.

Idioms

• "Easy as cheesecake": (Informal, rare) Used to indicate that something is very simple or easy to do. This is a playful variation of the more common idiom "easy as pie."
  • Example: "Don't worry, fixing this is easy as cheesecake."

Noun

1. a photograph of an attractive woman in minimal attire
2. made with sweetened cream cheese and eggs and cream baked in a crumb crust