the part of milk containing the butterfat
"She carefully skimmed the cream off the top of the morning's fresh milk to make homemade butter."
The butterfat/milkfat part of milk which rises to the top; this part when separated from the remainder.
"She carefully skimmed the cream off the top of the cold morning milk before pouring it over her cereal."
The liquid separated from milk, possibly with certain other milk products added, and with at least eighteen percent of it milkfat.
"She whipped the heavy cream into stiff peaks to top her freshly baked cookies."
In plain English: Cream is the thick, white part that floats on top of milk or other liquids.
"She added a spoonful of cream to her coffee."
Usage: Cream refers specifically to the rich, fatty layer that separates and floats on top of milk or other liquids. Use it as a noun when describing this dairy product itself or when ordering it to be added to coffee and tea.
add cream to one's coffee, for example
"I added a splash of heavy cream to my cold brew to make it richer."
To puree, to blend with a liquifying process.
"She decided to cream the potatoes until they were smooth and fluffy after boiling them."
In plain English: To cream something means to beat it until it becomes light and fluffy.
"The chef creamed the butter and sugar until they became light and fluffy."
Usage: Use "cream" as a verb when you are blending ingredients together until they form a smooth, light mixture, such as creaming butter and sugar in baking. Do not use it to describe simply melting or liquefying a solid substance without the specific action of incorporating air to create a fluffy texture.
Cream-coloured; having a yellowish white colour.
"The old armchair has faded to a soft cream-colour after years of sitting by the window."
In plain English: Cream describes something that is very light, pale yellow, or off-white in color.
"She topped her cake with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting."
Usage: Use the adjective cream to describe something that is pale yellow or off-white, like cream-colored walls or cream silk fabric. Avoid confusing this color description with the noun referring to the dairy product when you do not intend to mention food.
The word "cream" comes from a blend of Late Latin words for ointment and cream, which ultimately traces back to Gaulish and Proto-Indo-European roots meaning skin or scab. This borrowing replaced the native Old English word rēam in modern usage.