Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Biscuit \Bis"cuit\, n. [F. biscuit (cf. It. biscotto, Sp.
   bizcocho, Pg. biscouto), fr. L. bis twice + coctus, p. p. of
   coquere to cook, bake. See {Cook}, and cf. {Bisque} a kind of
   porcelain.]
   1. A kind of unraised bread, of many varieties, plain, sweet,
      or fancy, formed into flat cakes, and bakes hard; as, ship
      biscuit.

            According to military practice, the bread or biscuit
            of the Romans was twice prepared in the oven.
                                                  --Gibbon.

   2. A small loaf or cake of bread, raised and shortened, or
      made light with soda or baking powder. Usually a number
      are baked in the same pan, forming a sheet or card.

   3. Earthen ware or porcelain which has undergone the first
      baking, before it is subjected to the glazing.

   4. (Sculp.) A species of white, unglazed porcelain, in which
      vases, figures, and groups are formed in miniature.

   {Meat biscuit}, an alimentary preparation consisting of
      matters extracted from meat by boiling, or of meat ground
      fine and combined with flour, so as to form biscuits.

Source : WordNet®

biscuit
     n 1: small round bread leavened with baking-powder or soda
     2: any of various small flat sweet cakes (`biscuit' is the
        British term) [syn: {cookie}, {cooky}]