hundreds and thousands

IPA/ˌhʌndrədz ən ˈθaʊzndz/
IPA/ˌhʌndrədz ən ˈθaʊzndz/

hundreds and thousands — noun

1. Very small colourful pieces of sugar, usually round or slightly oval, that peopl

1.nounB1
Definition

Very small colourful pieces of sugar, usually round or slightly oval, that people sprinkle onto the top of cakes, biscuits, doughnuts, and other sweet foods to make them look more attractive.

Example

Beatriz covered the cake with pink icing and sprinkled hundreds and thousands on top.

collocation: sprinkle [hundreds and thousands] on [food]

The children loved adding hundreds and thousands to their homemade cupcakes at the party.

collocation: add [hundreds and thousands] to [food]

Common collocations
  • sprinkle [hundreds and thousands] on something
  • add [hundreds and thousands] to something
  • decorate something with [hundreds and thousands]
  • top something with [hundreds and thousands]
  • a packet / tube / jar of [hundreds and thousands]
Synonyms
  • sprinkles

    The standard American English term; can also refer to longer, stick-shaped decorations, whereas 'hundreds and thousands' usually describes tiny round beads.

  • nonpareils

    A formal or traditional American term specifically for the tiny round sugar beads used on baked goods.

  • vermicelli

    A British term for longer, thin strand-like sprinkles, not the same shape as hundreds and thousands.

Usage Note

This phrase always takes a plural verb form (e.g. 'Hundreds and thousands are sold in small tubes or jars'). In American English, the same product is usually called 'sprinkles' or 'nonpareils'.

Common Mistakes

I bought a hundreds and thousands.
I bought some hundreds and thousands.
The phrase is uncountable and does not take 'a' or 'an'.
Hundreds and thousand is very colourful.
Hundreds and thousands are very colourful.
The phrase takes a plural verb.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These terms all refer to small sugar confections used for decorating baked goods, but they differ by region and shape. 'Hundreds and thousands' is the standard British term for tiny round coloured sugar beads. In the US, 'sprinkles' is the general term and can include both round beads and longer stick shapes; 'nonpareils' refers specifically to the tiny round beads; and 'jimmies' are the long, thin chocolate or rainbow strands often used on ice cream. In Britain, 'vermicelli' describes the longer strand-shaped sprinkles. If you ask for 'sprinkles' in the UK, people will understand you, but 'hundreds and thousands' is the more traditional and widely recognised term for the small round kind.

sprinkles ↗nonpareils ↗vermicelli ↗jimmies ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a packet of
  • a tube of
  • a jar of
  • sprinkle with
  • top with
  • decorate with

Prepositions

Etymology

English

The phrase 'hundreds and thousands' was first recorded in the mid-19th century and comes from the visual effect of scattering tiny sugar beads onto a cake — the sheer number of individual pieces creates the impression that there are hundreds and thousands of them. The term likely originated as a playful exaggeration used by confectioners and home bakers, and it became the standard British name for this type of cake decoration.