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noun Uncommon

caramel

KA-ruh-mehl

Caramel (noun) means a chewy candy or sauce made by heating sugar until it turns golden-brown. Example: “She drizzled warm caramel over the ice cream.”

noun
1
A chewy candy or sauce made by heating sugar until it turns golden-brown.
"She drizzled warm caramel over the ice cream."
"He unwrapped a caramel and popped it in his mouth."
adj
1
Having a yellowish-brown color like caramel candy.
"The sofa was upholstered in a rich caramel leather."

How to use caramel

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA sweet, chewy candy or sauce made from cooked sugar, or the golden-brown color it has.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
caramel sauce salted caramel caramel color

Word forms

carameled past tense, caramelled past tense, caramels plural, Caramels plural, caramels singular

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Test yourself on “caramel” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She drizzled warm _____ over the ice cream.

Etymology

From French caramel, tracing back through Spanish and Portuguese to Late Latin calamellus, "little reed" — an odd origin for a sugary treat.

Origin: Late Latin

buff raw sienna caramel brown yellowish brown caramelized sugar

Related words

Rhymes for caramel

See all rhymes for caramel →

Frequently asked questions

What does “caramel” mean?

The word “caramel” means a chewy candy or sauce made by heating sugar until it turns golden-brown. In plain terms, a sweet, chewy candy or sauce made from cooked sugar, or the golden-brown color it has.

How do you pronounce “caramel”?

“Caramel” is pronounced KA-ruh-mehl (/ˈkæɹ.ə.mɛl/ in IPA).

How do you use “caramel” in a sentence?

Here is “caramel” used in a sentence: “She drizzled warm caramel over the ice cream.”

What part of speech is “caramel”?

Depending on how it is used, “caramel” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “caramel” come from?

The word “caramel” comes from Late Latin. From French caramel, tracing back through Spanish and Portuguese to Late Latin calamellus, "little reed" — an odd origin for a sugary treat.

Is “caramel” a common word?

“Caramel” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “caramel” have?

“Caramel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a chewy candy or sauce made by heating sugar until it turns golden-brown.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial