Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
light dessert

light dessert

2.7
A dessert that is not heavy and usually has fewer calories
  • noun
translation icon : postre ligero
  • This light dessert is a refreshing way to end a summer dinner.

Examples

  • I mean some evenings, I'll fix him a hot entree, vegetable, and a light dessert...

    Parents (1989)

  • For a light dessert, enjoy a simple fruit salad with berries and melon.

  • After dinner, she served a light dessert of yogurt topped with honey and almonds.

Synonyms

dessert
vslight dessert
431 1.0

A sweet dish eaten at the end of a meal

is the lighter, less rich version with fewer calories

Antonyms

rich
73 3.0

Having a lot of fat or sugar so it feels heavy

How Rich

tart
93 1.6
light dessert
2.7
sorbet
16 2.7
fruit salad
13 1.0

Surface Forms

light dessert singular
light desserts plural

Morphology

light + dessert

The meaning 'a dessert that is not heavy or rich' is directly and compositionally derived from combining the adjective 'light' (not heavy/low in calories) with 'dessert' (the final sweet course). This adjective+noun pattern is a basic, cross-linguistic compositional construction, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Light dessert uses light in the simple sense 'not heavy' and dessert for the sweet food at the end of a meal. Think of a small bowl of fruit or a scoop of sorbet that feels easy on your stomach compared with a rich cake, and that's why it means a dessert that is easier to digest or lower in calories.