In Argentina and Uruguay, what are croissants commonly called?

In Argentina and Uruguay, croissants are commonly called medialunas, meaning “half moons.” The name refers to the pastry’s curved, crescent-like shape and is widely used in everyday bakery and breakfast culture.

Medialunas are commonly eaten with coffee at breakfast, during an aperitivo, or at merienda, the afternoon snack traditionally associated with tea, coffee, and pastries. They may be glazed with a sweet syrup, especially the buttery style known as medialunas de manteca, or made with lard in the less-sweet medialunas de grasa.

Although medialunas resemble French croissants, they are not always identical. Local versions can be smaller, sweeter, softer, or more heavily glazed, and the distinction between butter-based and lard-based varieties is especially important in the Río de la Plata region.

The term can also cause confusion because Spanish-speaking countries use different names for similar crescent pastries. In Switzerland, a croissant is often called a Gipfeli, while Italy has the related cornetto. Rogale is associated with other Central and Eastern European pastry traditions, not the usual Argentine or Uruguayan name.