caramel
/ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.48 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A smooth, chewy, sticky confection made by heating sugar and other ingredients until the sugars polymerize and become sticky.
Uncountable
adj
Of a yellow-brown color.
Example Sentences
- "The usual technique for making caramel is to mix table sugar with some water, then heat until the water has boiled off and the molten sugar colors."
- "Caramel has a rich, complex flavor and consistency, viscous and sticky and creamy all at once, that works well with most sweets and fruits, with coffee and chocolate, and even with salt: the prized caramels of Brittany are made with a notable dose of sea salt."
- "Every time I saw this caramel cutie, she was working on a new proposal or business plan or flyer to promote herself and her event coordinating business."
- "To turn out, place the dish over the mould, and invert both together, when, if the caramelling has been complete, the pudding should slip out without any difficulty at all."
Etymology
Borrowed from French caramel, from Spanish caramelo, from Portuguese caramelo, dissimilated from Late Latin calamellus, diminutive of calamus (“reed”) (and a doublet of chalumeau and shawm). Alternatively from Medieval Latin cannamellis, which is a compound of canna + mellis.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/
- British English: /ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/