noun
sugar
SHUU-guh
noun
1
A sweet crystalline substance, usually made from sugar cane or sugar beet, used to sweeten food and drink.
"He takes two spoonfuls of sugar in his tea."
"Too much sugar in your diet can lead to health problems."
2
Any of a group of water-soluble carbohydrates, such as glucose, that provide energy to living things.
"Fruit contains natural sugars like fructose."
verb
1
To add sugar to something in order to sweeten it.
"She sugared her coffee before taking a sip."
How to Use Sugar
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe sweet substance you add to food and drinks, or any similar sweet carbohydrate.
Common mistake
"Sugar" as an exclamation is a mild, polite substitute for a stronger swear word.
Common pairings
a spoonful of sugar
sugar and spice
sugar-free
Word Forms
sugared past tense, sugars plural, Sugars plural, sugars singular
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He takes two spoonfuls of _____ in his tea.
Etymology
Traced back through Old French çucre and Old Italian zucchero to Arabic sukkar, itself borrowed from Persian and ultimately Sanskrit sharkara. The same root gives us the word "jaggery."