Standard Lemma guide

semla

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈsɛmlə/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A pastry with a cream and almond paste filling, traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday in Sweden, Finland and Estonia.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Swedish semla, ultimately from Latin simila (“finest quality wheat flour”), through Old Swedish. Doublet of semola and semel; compare semolina.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: се́мла (sjémla) — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Danish: fastelavnsbolle — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Dutch: semla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Estonian: vastlakukkel — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Finnish: laskiaispulla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • French: semla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • German: Semla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Japanese: セムラ (semura) — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Korean: 셈라 (semna) — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Norwegian: fastelavnsbolle — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Polish: semla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Russian: се́мла (sémla) — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Spanish: semla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Swedish: semla — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Swedish: fastlagsbulle — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday
  • Swedish: fettisdagsbulle — Swedish pastry eaten on Shrove Tuesday