sugar
SHUU-guh
Sugar (noun) means a sweet crystalline substance, usually made from sugar cane or sugar beet, used to sweeten food and drink. Example: “He takes two spoonfuls of sugar in his tea.”
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."
"Add a little sugar to the mixture and stir until it dissolves."
2
Any of a group of water-soluble carbohydrates, such as glucose, that provide energy to living things.
"Fruit contains natural sugars like fructose."
"Your body breaks down the sugars in bread and rice to make energy."
"Doctors test your blood to see how much sugar it contains."
verb
1
To add sugar to something in order to sweeten it.
"She sugared her coffee before taking a sip."
"Do you sugar your porridge, or do you prefer it plain?"
"My grandmother always sugared the strawberries before serving them."
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
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Word forms
- Plural
- sugars
- Third person singular
- sugars
- Past tense
- sugared
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for sugar
See all rhymes for sugar →Frequently asked questions
What does “sugar” mean?
The word “sugar” means a sweet crystalline substance, usually made from sugar cane or sugar beet, used to sweeten food and drink. In plain terms, the sweet substance you add to food and drinks, or any similar sweet carbohydrate.
How do you pronounce “sugar”?
“Sugar” is pronounced SHUU-guh (/ˈʃʊɡɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sugar” in a sentence?
Here is “sugar” used in a sentence: “He takes two spoonfuls of sugar in his tea.”
What part of speech is “sugar”?
Depending on how it is used, “sugar” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “sugar” come from?
The word “sugar” comes from Old French. 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.".
Is “sugar” a common word?
“Sugar” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “sugar” have?
“Sugar” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sweet crystalline substance, usually made from sugar cane or sugar beet, used to sweeten food and drink.
What are the different types of sugar?
Common types include granulated, the standard white sugar; caster, which is finer and good for baking; icing sugar, powdered for frosting; and demerara or brown sugar, which keeps some molasses for a richer flavour. There are also raw sugars, and forms named by source, like cane sugar or beet sugar. Most table sugar is sucrose.
What is the difference between sugar and sweetener?
Sugar is a natural sweet substance, usually sucrose from cane or beet, that adds both sweetness and calories. Sweetener is a broader term covering anything that sweetens, including artificial and low-calorie substitutes such as aspartame or stevia. So all sugar is a sweetener, but not every sweetener is sugar.
Is sugar bad for you?
Sugar is not toxic, and the body uses it for energy, but health guidance advises limiting added sugar. Eating a lot is linked to tooth decay, weight gain, and a raised risk of type 2 diabetes. The natural sugars in fruit and milk come packaged with nutrients and are generally less of a concern.
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