Definition

Noun: A sweet dessert pudding thickened primarily with tapioca pearls, typically made with milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.

Usage

This term refers specifically to the prepared dish. It is a countable noun when referring to individual servings and an uncountable noun when referring to the substance in general. * I made a large bowl of tapioca pudding for the party. * For dessert, she served individual tapioca puddings in small glasses. * Do you like tapioca pudding?

Examples

• The classic tapioca pudding is creamy and has a unique, slightly chewy texture from the pearls.
• My grandmother's recipe for tapioca pudding is the best I've ever tasted.
• Some people enjoy adding fruit, such as mango or berries, to their tapioca pudding.

Advanced Usage

• "Tapioca pudding" as a texture metaphor: Informally, the term can be used to describe something that has a similar soft, lumpy, or gelatinous consistency.
  • The overcooked oatmeal had the consistency of tapioca pudding.

Variants and Related Words

• Tapioca (noun): The starch extracted from the cassava root, often processed into small pearls used as a thickening agent.
• Pudding (noun): A general term for a sweet, soft dessert, often cooked or baked.

Synonyms

• Tapioca cream
• Tapioca dessert (less common)

Notes on Meaning

The defining characteristic of "tapioca pudding" is the use of tapioca (usually pearl tapioca) as the primary thickening agent, which distinguishes it from other puddings thickened with cornstarch (custard), rice (rice pudding), or bread (bread pudding).

Noun

1. sweet pudding thickened with tapioca