Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cake for a wedding: "wedding-cake" refers to a large, often elaborately decorated cake that is traditionally served at a wedding reception. It is typically multi-tiered and shared among the guests.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The couple cut the wedding-cake together to celebrate their union. (A large cake served at a wedding.)
  • She saved the top tier of her wedding-cake to eat on their first anniversary. (A portion of the cake preserved as a tradition.)

Advanced Usage

• "Wedding-cake architecture": A term used in architecture to describe a building with a stepped, tiered design resembling a wedding cake.

  • The skyscraper's wedding-cake architecture was a popular style in the 1920s. (The building's design has multiple receding tiers.)

• "Wedding-cake icing": The decorative frosting on the cake, often made of royal icing or fondant.

  • The wedding-cake icing was intricately piped with floral patterns. (The frosting was carefully applied for decoration.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wedding-cake topper (n): a small figurine or decoration placed on top of the cake, often representing the bride and groom.

  • The wedding-cake topper was a pair of porcelain doves. (The decoration on the top of the cake.)

• Wedding-cake knife (n): a ceremonial knife used to cut the cake during the reception.

  • They used a silver wedding-cake knife for the cutting ceremony. (The knife used to slice the cake.)

Synonyms

• Bridal cake: a cake made specifically for a wedding ceremony.
• Celebration cake: a general term for a cake served at festive occasions, but often used interchangeably with "wedding-cake" in informal contexts.

Related Idioms

• "Have your cake and eat it too": While not directly about "wedding-cake," this idiom is sometimes used in wedding contexts to mean wanting two incompatible benefits.
  • She wanted a small wedding but a huge wedding-cake — she was trying to have her cake and eat it too. (She wanted contradictory things.)

Phrasal Verbs

• "Cut the wedding-cake": to perform the ceremonial cutting of the cake.
  • The bride and groom will cut the wedding-cake after dinner. (They will slice the cake as a tradition.)

Notes on Usage

• "Wedding-cake" is often hyphenated when used as an adjective (e.g., "wedding-cake design") or as a compound noun referring to the specific cake type. In casual speech, it may be written as two separate words ("wedding cake"), but the hyphenated form is standard in formal contexts.