Puddingmostoftenreferstoadessert,butmayalsorefertoasavorydish.IntheUnitedStates,puddingcharacteristicallydenotesasweetmilk-baseddessertsimilarinconsistencytoegg-basedcustards,thoughitmayalsorefertoothertypessuchasbreadandricepudding.IntheUnitedKingdomandsomeCommonwealthcountries,puddingreferstorich,fairlyhomogeneousstarch-ordairy-baseddessertssuchasricepuddingandChristmaspudding,or,informally,anysweetdishafterthemaincourse.ThewordpuddingisbelievedtocomefromtheFrenchboudin,originallyfromtheLatinbotellus,meaning"smallsausage,"referringtoencasedmeatsusedinMedievalEuropeanpuddings.

　　Theoriginalpuddingwasformedbymixingvariousingredientswithagrainproductorotherbindersuchasbutter,flour,cereal,eggs,suet,resultinginasolidmass.Thesepuddingsarebaked,steamedorboiled.Dependingonitsingredientssuchapuddingmaybeservedasapartofthemaincourseorasadessert.BoiledpuddingwasacommonmaincourseaboardshipsintheRoyalNavyinthe18thand19thcenturies.Puddingwasusedastheprimarydishinwhichdailyrationsofflourandsuetwereprepared.

　　Thesecondandnewertypeofpuddingconsistsofsugar,milk,andathickeningagentsuchascornstarch,gelatin,eggs,riceortapiocatocreateasweet,creamydessert.Creamypuddingsaretypicallyservedchilled,butafew,suchaszabaglioneandricepudding,maybeservedwarm.