noun
treacle
TREE-kuhl
Treacle (noun) means (chiefly British) A thick, dark syrup made in sugar refining; molasses. Example: “The pudding was drenched in treacle.”
noun
1
(chiefly British) A thick, dark syrup made in sugar refining; molasses.
"The pudding was drenched in treacle."
2
Speech or sentiment that is cloyingly sweet or sentimental.
"The public tributes to Griffith were over-the-top in a way his acting never was, spreading treacle from the evening newscasts to the front page of the New York Times."
— Frank Rich, Mayberry R.I.P (2012)
"The movie's ending descended into pure treacle."
How to use treacle
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTreacle is a sticky, dark syrup — or, figuratively, anything overly sweet and sentimental.
UK vs US
Treacle is a British term; Americans generally say "molasses."
Common pairings
treacle tart
treacle pudding
sickly treacle
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Word forms
- Plural
- treacles
- Third person singular
- treacles
- Past tense
- treacled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pudding was drenched in _____.
Etymology
From Middle English triacle, ultimately from Greek thēriakē, "antidote" — treacle was once sold as a cure-all before the word narrowed to mean the syrup.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for treacle
See all rhymes for treacle →Frequently asked questions
What does “treacle” mean?
The word “treacle” means (chiefly British) A thick, dark syrup made in sugar refining; molasses. In plain terms, treacle is a sticky, dark syrup — or, figuratively, anything overly sweet and sentimental.
How do you pronounce “treacle”?
“Treacle” is pronounced TREE-kuhl (/ˈtɹiː.kəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “treacle” in a sentence?
Here is “treacle” used in a sentence: “The pudding was drenched in treacle.”
What part of speech is “treacle”?
“Treacle” is a noun.
Where does the word “treacle” come from?
The word “treacle” comes from Middle English. From Middle English triacle, ultimately from Greek thēriakē, "antidote" — treacle was once sold as a cure-all before the word narrowed to mean the syrup.
How many meanings does “treacle” have?
“Treacle” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (chiefly British) A thick, dark syrup made in sugar refining; molasses.
