simnel cake

Meaning

Noun

• A rich fruit cake, with a decorated marzipan covering, traditionally eaten on Simnel Sunday or Easter.

Related

Similar words

• simlin
• simnel

Origin

• From Middle English simenel (also simle), from Old French simenel ("fine wheat flour; flat bread cake, Lenten cake"), probably by dissimilation from Vulgar Latin *siminellus, a diminutive of Latin simila (see semolina). Compare also Middle Dutch semel, Middle Low German semele.