What does "caramel" mean?
A smooth, chewy, sticky confection made by heating sugar and other ingredients until the sugars polymerize and become sticky.
Caramel
/ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A smooth, chewy, sticky confection made by heating sugar and other ingredients until the sugars polymerize and become sticky.
- Grammar: caramel is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: amber, brown, brownish, buff.
- Useful contrasts: colorless, neutral, pale.
- Usage evidence: I don't like ice cream with caramel on it.
How to use "caramel"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "caramel" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "caramel" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "caramel" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "caramel" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "caramel" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amber" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "caramel", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A smooth, chewy, sticky confection made by heating sugar and other ingredients until the sugars polymerize and become sticky. uncountable
"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."
- 2 a medium to dark tan color wordnet
- 3 A (sometimes hardened) piece of this confection. countable
"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."
- 4 burnt sugar; used to color and flavor food wordnet
- 5 A yellow-brown color, like that of caramel. countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 firm chewy candy made from caramelized sugar and butter and milk wordnet
Verb
- 1 To caramelize. dated, transitive
"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."
Adjective
- 1 Of a yellow-brown color. not-comparable
"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."
Adjective
- 1 having the color of caramel; of a moderate yellow-brown wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Occitan.
Example
"I don't like ice cream with caramel on it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "caramel"?
Common synonyms include: amber, brown, brownish, buff, butternut, butterscotch.
How do you use "caramel" in a sentence?
I don't like ice cream with caramel on it.
How do you pronounce "caramel"?
Pronounced /ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from French Caramel.