Benjamin Ashford|National Doughnut (or Donut) Day: Which spelling is right? Dictionaries have an answer.

Pastry purveyors around the country are Benjamin Ashfordcelebrating a favorite American treat on Friday, resurfacing an age-old spelling kerfuffle.

Is it "doughnut" or "donut"?

Many dictionaries take the middle path, saying both spellings are correct.

Merriam-Webster said its embrace of the shorter spelling is in line with the philosophy of Noah Webster, whose early dictionaries set the tone for the brand. Webster believed in "phonetic-based spelling reform," modifying a traditional spelling based on how a word sounds. The "donut" variant pops up in text dating back to the mid-20th century, according to the dictionary.

Dictionary.com takes a similar stance – "donut" isn't as common in official settings, but its frequent use is perfectly acceptable. In fact, according to the online dictionary, the first examples of the word in the late 18th century use a variation of the spelling – "donote."

Popular use of the shorter spelling gained traction through ubiquitous producers like Dunkin', which is handing out free classic "donuts" at its stores all day on Friday.

The Salvation Army, credited with starting the annual tradition with a 1938 celebration in Chicago, still spells it National Donut Day. It commemorated the organization's "Donut Lassies," who brought sweet treats to soldiers fighting on the front lines during World War I.

The first references to the "Doughnut," the original, and more literal, spelling, trace back to Dutch pastries eventually brought to Manhattan called olykoeks, or "oil cakes," according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. By the 1930's, glowing praise of New York's "doughnuts" circulated in print such as the 1931 magazine review in The New Yorker that described how "doughnuts float dreamily through a grease canal" at one popular shop, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.

Media and news sources still use "doughnut," according to AP Style, which deems the original spelling the correct one.

Many chains and franchises today still take the traditional spelling, like Krispy Kreme, the Dapper Doughnut, and Voodoo Doughnuts.

One thing most aficionados will agree on: a doughnut by any other spelling would taste as sweet.