From Middle English creime, creme, from Old French creme, cresme, blend of Late Latin chrisma (“ointment”) (from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “unguent”)), and Late Latin crāmum (“cream”), from Gaulish *crama (compare Welsh cramen (“scab, skin”), Breton crammen), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)krama- (compare Middle Irish screm (“surface, skin”), Dutch schram (“abrasion”), Lithuanian kramas (“scurf”)). Doublet of crema and crème. Displaced native Old English rēam (“cream”) (> modern ream).
Figurative sense of "most excellent element or part" appears from 1581. Verb meaning "to beat, thrash, wreck" is 1929, U.S. colloquial. The U.S. standard of identity is from 21 CFR 131.3(a).
Meanings
(not-comparable) Cream-coloured; having a yellowish white colour.
From Middle English creime, creme, from Old French creme, cresme, blend of Late Latin chrisma (“ointment”) (from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “unguent”)), and Late Latin crāmum (“cream”), from Gaulish *crama (compare Welsh cramen (“scab, skin”), Breton crammen), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)krama- (compare Middle Irish screm (“surface, skin”), Dutch schram (“abrasion”), Lithuanian kramas (“scurf”)). Doublet of crema and crème. Displaced native Old English rēam (“cream”) (> modern ream).
Figurative sense of "most excellent element or part" appears from 1581. Verb meaning "to beat, thrash, wreck" is 1929, U.S. colloquial. The U.S. standard of identity is from 21 CFR 131.3(a).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) The butterfat or milkfat part of milk which rises to the top; this part when separated from the remainder.
Take 100 ml of cream and 50 grams of sugar…
(US, countable, qualifier:standards of identity, uncountable) The butterfat or milkfat part of milk which rises to the top; this part when separated from the remainder. ▸ The liquid separated from milk, possibly with certain other milk products added, and with at least eighteen percent of it milkfat.
You may have noticed that any time that filling is mentioned on Oreo packaging, it's called "creme." This is no typo. Technically, the creamy filling inside an Oreo is not cream at all: The recipe used actually contains no dairy; as such, the FDA prohibits Nabisco from labeling the product as "cream." 2018 February 13, Rebecca Firsker, "What's Really in Oreo Cream Filling? Well, for One Thing, Not Cream", MyRecipes
(UK, countable, qualifier:standards of identity, uncountable) The butterfat or milkfat part of milk which rises to the top; this part when separated from the remainder. ▸ The liquid separated from milk containing at least 18 percent milkfat (48% for double cream).
(countable, qualifier:tea and coffee, uncountable) The butterfat or milkfat part of milk which rises to the top; this part when separated from the remainder. ▸ A portion of cream, such as the amount found in a creamer.
I take my coffee with two cream and three sugar.
(countable, uncountable) A yellowish white color; the color of cream.
Hundreds of examples remain, still following the same general pattern—maroon, green or chocolate brown, for example, from ground to waist level, then a stale Cheddar cheese shade of cream above. 1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 253:
(countable, informal, uncountable) Frosting, custard, creamer, or another substance similar to the oily part of milk or to whipped cream.
Originally the cream filling in Oreo cookies was made with pork lard. 2004, Joey Green, Joey Green's Incredible Country Store, Rodale, →ISBN, page 267:
(countable, uncountable) A dish prepared through creaming, particularly cream of
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) The best part of something.
the cream of the crop
[…] he can assure the assembled Deans that all this is true, and that the Academy has presently in residence no fewer than a third of the continent’s top thirty juniors, in age brackets all across the board, and that I here, who go by ‘Hal,’ usually, am ‘right up there among the very cream.’ 1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […], Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 4:
Welcome, O flower and cream of Knights-errant. 1612, Thomas Shelton (translator), Don Quixote (originally by Miguel de Cervantes)
the cream of a collection of books or pictures
“But the cream of it was," said Norman, pressing a large tortoiseshell-rimmed monocle into his eye, “you don't mind me telling this, Face, do you?” 1918 August, Katherine Mansfield [pseudonym; Kathleen Mansfield Murry], “Bliss”, in Bliss and Other Stories, London: Constable & Company, published 1920, →OCLC, page 124:
(countable, uncountable) A viscous aqueous oil or fat emulsion with a medicament added, used to apply that medicament to the skin. (compare with ointment)
You look really sunburnt; you should apply some cream.
In vain she tries her paste and creams, / To smooth her skin or hide its seams. 1756, Oliver Goldsmith, The Double Transformation:
(countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar) Semen.
He tucked his cock into his pants before rubbing his cream into her breasts in slow, teasing strokes. 2003, Dominique Adair, “Two Days, Three Nights”, in Tied with a Bow, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, →ISBN, page 74:
When he did come, he spurted his cream all over the front of Rosalee’s T-shirt and neck. 2004, Art Wiederhold, Wild Flowers, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 158:
2001, Darwin Porter, Hollywood’s Silent Closet: The Lusty Saga of America’s First Star F*#%er!! (novel), Blood Moon Productions, Ltd., →ISBN, page 155,
He rode me for ten—or was it fifteen?—minutes before one final fuckthrust that filled me completely with his cream.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) The chrism or consecrated oil used in anointing ceremonies.
there shall never harlot have happe, by the helpe of Oure Lord, to kylle a crowned Kynge that with Creyme is anoynted. , Book V
rsk кремови (colour) · fr crème (colour) · cs krém (product to apply to the skin) · ar قِشْدَة (fatty part of milk) · eu gain (fatty part of milk) · lv krējums (fatty part of milk) · nv dinilgai (colour) · ru сли́вки (fatty part of milk) · fi voide (product to apply to the skin) · tl laknip (product to apply to the skin) · ms krim (fatty part of milk) · bg кайма́к (fatty part of milk) · kk қаймақ (fatty part of milk) · fr fleur (the best part) · mn цөцгий (fatty part of milk) · da fløde (fatty part of milk) · kmr toşîr (fatty part of milk) · xmf ხეჭეთი (fatty part of milk) · he שַׁמֶּנֶת (fatty part of milk) · uk крем (product to apply to the skin) · pl kremowy (colour) · so labeen (fatty part of milk) · my နို့ဆီ (fatty part of milk) · sq ajkë (the best part) · hy քսուք (product to apply to the skin) · nl room (fatty part of milk) · be вяршкі́ (fatty part of milk) · tn lobebe (fatty part of milk) · ug يۈز مېيى (product to apply to the skin) · gsw Niidel (fatty part of milk) · lt kremas (product to apply to the skin) · ug قايماق (fatty part of milk) · sv römme (fatty part of milk) · ota قایماق (fatty part of milk) · ru смета́на (fatty part of milk) · to kilimi (fatty part of milk) · eu krema (fatty part of milk) · cy eli (product to apply to the skin) · kmr to (fatty part of milk) · vi cờ-rem (product to apply to the skin) · ru кре́мовый (colour) · cy hufen (fatty part of milk) · ps قيماغ (fatty part of milk) · tk krem (product to apply to the skin) · sh шлаг (fatty part of milk) · ru сли́вки (the best part) · hu krémszín (colour) · sh врхње (fatty part of milk) · cmn 奶油 (fatty part of milk) · nb fløte (fatty part of milk) · ja クリーム色 (colour) · ms pingai (colour) · fr crème de la crème (the best part) · ca crema (product to apply to the skin) · ta ஏடு (fatty part of milk) · sk krém (product to apply to the skin) · nn fløyte (fatty part of milk) · lo ຫົວນ້ຳນົມ (fatty part of milk) · af room (colour) · te మీగడ (fatty part of milk) · es crema (fatty part of milk) · cmn 雪花膏 (product to apply to the skin) · hu színe-java (the best part) · eo kremo (product to apply to the skin) · ru кре́мовый цвет (colour) · ka კრემი (product to apply to the skin) · ga uachtar (fatty part of milk) · is krem (product to apply to the skin) · ba ҡаймаҡ (fatty part of milk) · ro crem (colour) · az qaymaq (fatty part of milk) · wa crinme (fatty part of milk) · eo kremkoloro (colour) · el κρέμα γάλακτος (fatty part of milk) · et koor (fatty part of milk) · el κρεμ (colour) · km ក្រេម (product to apply to the skin) · it crema (the best part) · fr fin du fin (the best part) · de Sahne (fatty part of milk) · da creme (the best part) · uk смета́на (the best part) · de Kreme (product to apply to the skin) · sh крема (product to apply to the skin) · sq mazë (fatty part of milk) · tr krem rengi (colour) · vi kem sữa (fatty part of milk) · tl laknip (fatty part of milk) · eo haŭtkremo (product to apply to the skin) · fi kreemi (product to apply to the skin) · fr crème (product to apply to the skin) · es crema (colour) · fi kerma (fatty part of milk) · nrf crème (fatty part of milk) · de Rahm (fatty part of milk) · pt creme (colour) · bg мехле́м (product to apply to the skin) · pt creme (the best part) · hu napolaj (product to apply to the skin) · ja クリーム (product to apply to the skin) · tt каймак (fatty part of milk) · ky каймак (fatty part of milk) · id rum (fatty part of milk) · he קָרַם (product to apply to the skin) · kmr sertûk (fatty part of milk) · cmn 面霜 (product to apply to the skin) · tl krema (colour) · ckb توێژ (fatty part of milk) · it panna (fatty part of milk) · sv krämfärg (colour) · cy hufen (the best part) · vi kem (fatty part of milk) · bg смета́на (fatty part of milk) · ko 크림 (fatty part of milk) · ab ахҷаҭ (fatty part of milk) · ga bánbhuí (colour) · ta ஆடை (fatty part of milk) · vo krem (fatty part of milk) · as সৰ (fatty part of milk) · sv hudkräm (product to apply to the skin) · th ครีม (product to apply to the skin) · my မုန့် (product to apply to the skin) · it crema (colour) · ms kuning air (colour) · es bayo (colour) · ms kepala susu (fatty part of milk) · de Schmetten (fatty part of milk) · es potingue (product to apply to the skin) · ur کْرِیم (product to apply to the skin) · sw krimu (product to apply to the skin) · wa blanc crinme (colour) · hi मलाई (fatty part of milk) · ro smântână (fatty part of milk) · zu ulaza (fatty part of milk) · ang rēam (fatty part of milk) · sh smetana (fatty part of milk) · ltg kriejums (fatty part of milk) · ru мазь (product to apply to the skin) · hu krém (the best part) · vi váng sữa (fatty part of milk) · bg кайма́к (the best part) · pt creme (product to apply to the skin) · ar قِشْطَة (fatty part of milk) · cmn 霜 (product to apply to the skin) · pdt Schmaunt (fatty part of milk) · arz كريم (product to apply to the skin) · th นวล (colour) · sv gräddfärg (colour) · sh vrhnje (fatty part of milk) · bn মালাই (fatty part of milk) · gl nata (fatty part of milk) · gd uachdar (fatty part of milk) · be мазь (product to apply to the skin) · sl smetana (fatty part of milk) · io kremo (product to apply to the skin) · hy կրեմ (product to apply to the skin) · uz krem (product to apply to the skin) · de Creme (the best part) · fr fine fleur (the best part) · nb krem (the best part) · ary فرارة (fatty part of milk) · es la crema (the best part) · lo ນວນ (colour) · ga ungadh (product to apply to the skin) · tr kaymak (the best part) · ky крем (product to apply to the skin) · pl śmietanka (fatty part of milk) · hu legjava (the best part) · uk мазь (product to apply to the skin) · cy lliw hufen (colour) · kw dehen (product to apply to the skin) · sh skorup (fatty part of milk) · uli kriim (product to apply to the skin) · sh скоруп (fatty part of milk) · gl tona (fatty part of milk) · sh кајмак (fatty part of milk) · fr onguent (product to apply to the skin) · my အလှဆီ (product to apply to the skin) · id krem (colour) · tl krema (product to apply to the skin) · sq ajkë (fatty part of milk) · ro cremă (product to apply to the skin) · az krem (product to apply to the skin) · pt nata (the best part) · acw كريمة (fatty part of milk) · eu esne-gain (fatty part of milk) · pl śmietanka (the best part) · sa शरस् (fatty part of milk) · ar كِرِيم (product to apply to the skin) · pa ਮਲ਼ਾਈ (fatty part of milk) · yi שמאַנט (fatty part of milk) · alt каймак (fatty part of milk) · fa سَرْشیر (fatty part of milk) · vi màu kem (colour) · bn ক্রিম (product to apply to the skin) · de Obers (fatty part of milk) · lb Rahm (fatty part of milk) · enm creme (fatty part of milk) · bg крем (product to apply to the skin) · war krema (fatty part of milk) · sh krem (product to apply to the skin) · mk кајмак (fatty part of milk) · eo kremo (fatty part of milk) · ast crema (fatty part of milk) · cy lliw hufen (the best part) · hy սերուցք (the best part) · haw kalima waiū (fatty part of milk) · ca crema (the best part) · ms krim (product to apply to the skin) · lt grietinė (fatty part of milk) · pt creme (fatty part of milk) · is rjómi (fatty part of milk) · nb kremfarge (colour) · lv krēms (product to apply to the skin) · th ครีม (fatty part of milk) · ms putih kuning (colour) · mn өрөм (fatty part of milk) · ko 크림 (product to apply to the skin) · nl crème de la crème (the best part) · ta கிரீம் (fatty part of milk) · uk масти́ло (product to apply to the skin) · sco ream (product to apply to the skin) · hi क्रीम (product to apply to the skin) · fi kermanvalkoinen (colour) · uk пома́да (product to apply to the skin) · id krim (product to apply to the skin) · lo ຄີມ (product to apply to the skin) · ka არაჟანი (fatty part of milk) · sq kajmak (fatty part of milk) · cs smetana (fatty part of milk) · ca nata (fatty part of milk) · mk кајмак (the best part) · uk кремо́вий (colour) · hy սեր (fatty part of milk) · ru крем (product to apply to the skin) · be крэм (product to apply to the skin) · kw dehen (fatty part of milk) · fo rómi (fatty part of milk) · uk вершки́ (fatty part of milk) · mk крем (product to apply to the skin) · sl krema (product to apply to the skin) · acw قِشْطَة (fatty part of milk) · fi kerma (the best part) · se lákca (fatty part of milk) · km ក្រែម (product to apply to the skin) · he קָרַם (colour) · sh kajmak (fatty part of milk) · sh сметана (fatty part of milk) · ja クリーム (fatty part of milk) · sh šlag (fatty part of milk) · uk кремо́вий ко́льор (colour) · sh крем (product to apply to the skin) · ar كْرِيم (product to apply to the skin) · wa crinme (product to apply to the skin) · vo miligapin (fatty part of milk) · es la flor y la crema (the best part) · sl smetana (the best part) · ur مَلائی (fatty part of milk) · sn ruwomba (fatty part of milk) · tk gaýmak (fatty part of milk) · uz qaymoq (fatty part of milk) · nl crème (product to apply to the skin) · sv råm (fatty part of milk) · da creme (product to apply to the skin) · gd cè (product to apply to the skin) · es crema (product to apply to the skin) · nl crème (colour) · ka კრემისფერი (colour) · de Schmankerl (the best part) · tr krem (colour) · cmn 乳白色 (colour) · sv kräm (product to apply to the skin) · ka ნაღები (fatty part of milk) · fa خامِه (fatty part of milk) · sv grädda (the best part) · fo krem (product to apply to the skin) · uk вершки́ (the best part) · bg кре́маво (colour) · fa کِرِم (product to apply to the skin) · da cremefarve (colour) · it crema (product to apply to the skin) · io kremo (fatty part of milk) · mi kirīmi (fatty part of milk) · nl zalf (product to apply to the skin) · uk смета́на (fatty part of milk) · hy սերուցք (fatty part of milk) · he קצפת (the best part) · tg крем (product to apply to the skin) · an crema (fatty part of milk) · vi cơ rem (fatty part of milk) · ca crema (fatty part of milk) · sco ream (fatty part of milk) · de Kreme (the best part) · cs krémová (colour) · hu krém (product to apply to the skin) · th ครีม (colour) · cmn 乳脂 (fatty part of milk) · hu tejszín (fatty part of milk) · io kremo (the best part) · tg саршир (fatty part of milk) · yue 忌廉 (fatty part of milk) · nrf crème (product to apply to the skin) · id krim (fatty part of milk) · nb krem (product to apply to the skin) · pt nata (fatty part of milk) · de Creme (colour) · pl krem (product to apply to the skin) · de Creme (product to apply to the skin) · uk масть (product to apply to the skin) · hu java (the best part) · fr crème (fatty part of milk) · eo pomado (product to apply to the skin) · sk smotana (fatty part of milk) · tl krema (fatty part of milk) · bua сүсэгы (fatty part of milk) · ro cremă (the best part) · ltg kraiškys (fatty part of milk) · tr kaymak (fatty part of milk) · sah сүөгэй (fatty part of milk) · de Sahnestück (the best part) · vi kem (product to apply to the skin) · ps پېروى (fatty part of milk) · tr krem (product to apply to the skin) · kk иісмай (product to apply to the skin) · cs smetánka (the best part) · hu kenőcs (product to apply to the skin) · es nata (fatty part of milk) · io kremeakoloro (colour) · is rjómi (the best part) · ca crema (colour) · fi kermankeltainen (colour) · sq krem (product to apply to the skin) · bg мази́ло (product to apply to the skin) · cmn 奶油色 (colour) · my မလိုင် (product to apply to the skin) · sh krema (product to apply to the skin) · sv grädde (fatty part of milk) · et kreem (product to apply to the skin) · my မလိုင် (fatty part of milk) · lld brama (fatty part of milk) · hu vajszín (colour) · el κρέμα (product to apply to the skin) · kbd шатэ (fatty part of milk)
From Middle English creime, creme, from Old French creme, cresme, blend of Late Latin chrisma (“ointment”) (from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “unguent”)), and Late Latin crāmum (“cream”), from Gaulish *crama (compare Welsh cramen (“scab, skin”), Breton crammen), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)krama- (compare Middle Irish screm (“surface, skin”), Dutch schram (“abrasion”), Lithuanian kramas (“scurf”)). Doublet of crema and crème. Displaced native Old English rēam (“cream”) (> modern ream).
Figurative sense of "most excellent element or part" appears from 1581. Verb meaning "to beat, thrash, wreck" is 1929, U.S. colloquial. The U.S. standard of identity is from 21 CFR 131.3(a).
Meanings
(transitive) To puree, to blend with a liquifying process.
Cream the vegetables with the olive oil, flour, salt and water mixture.
(transitive) To turn a yellowish white color; to give something the color of cream.
(slang, transitive) To obliterate, to defeat decisively.
We creamed the opposing team!
First up, the Hungarian election, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz Party got absolutely creamed. 2026 April 18, Michelle Cottle, David French, Michelle Goldberg, “JD Vance’s Very Bad Week”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
(intransitive, slang, vulgar) To ejaculate or become wet (used of either gender).
Danny Zuko: You are supreme / The chicks’ll cream / For grease lightning. 1971, Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey, “Grease Lightnin’”, in Grease:
(broadly, intransitive, slang, vulgar) To be very enthusiastic about or attracted to something (used especially of women).
(slang, transitive, vulgar) To ejaculate in (clothing or a bodily orifice).
(transitive) To rub, stir, or beat (butter) into a light creamy consistency.
(transitive) To skim, or take off by skimming, as cream.
(figuratively, transitive) To take off the best or choicest part of.
(transitive) To furnish with, or as if with, cream.
Please cream these two coffees and leave the others black.
A powerful agent is the right word: it lights the reader's way and makes it plain; a close approximation to it will answer, and much traveling is done in a well-enough fashion by its help, but we do not welcome it and applaud it and rejoice in it as we do when the right one blazes out on us. Whenever we come upon one of those intensely right words in a book or a newspaper the resulting effect is physical as well as spiritual, and electrically prompt: it tingles exquisitely around through the walls of the mouth and tastes as tart and crisp and good as the autumn-butter that creams the sumac-berry. 1906, Mark Twain, “William Dean Howells”, in Harper's Monthly Magazine, volume 113, number 674, page 221:
creaming the fragrant cups 1871, Adeline Dutton Train Whitney, Real Folks: