donut hole

English

Alternative forms

• doughnut hole

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

donut hole (plural donut holes)

1. The empty space in the center of a donut.
2. (US, Canada) A small ball-shaped pastry, made in the same manner as a donut, roughly the size of the hole in a donut.

   These donut holes are delicious!

3. (US, insurance, welfare, slang) An income bracket where one is without benefits, even though benefits are available in the next lower and next higher brackets.
   • 2012, Nick Tate, ObamaCare Survival Guide: The Affordable Care Act and What It Means for You and Your Healthcare‎^[1], page 138:

     Very few younger Americans have probably ever heard of the “donut hole” in Medicare's prescription drug program, but if you're on Medicare and need expensive drugs it's likely you have.

4. A section of water for which no one has fishing rights that is completely surrounded by regions where various parties hold fishing rights.

Synonyms

(pastry ball the size of the hole in the center of a donut):

• munchkin (genericization of Munchkin)
• timbit (genericization of Timbit)