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• sugar
  sugar

  noun

  a sweet, crystalline substance, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 , obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.
• Sugar
  Sugar

  noun

  Alan ( Michael ). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)

sugar

American  

[shoog-er] / ˈʃʊg ər /

noun

1. a sweet, crystalline substance, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 , obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.

2. Chemistry. a member of the same class of carbohydrates, as lactose, glucose, or fructose.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or a romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

4. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter S.

5. Slang. money.

6. Slang. LSD

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover, sprinkle, mix, or sweeten with sugar.

2. to make agreeable.

verb (used without object)

1. to form sugar or sugar crystals.

2. to make maple sugar.

verb phrase

1. sugar off (in making maple sugar) to complete the boiling down of the syrup in preparation for granulation.

Sugar ¹ British  

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Alan ( Michael ). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)

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sugar ² British  

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Also called: sucrose.   saccharose.  a white crystalline sweet carbohydrate, a disaccharide, found in many plants and extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet: it is used esp as a sweetening agent in food and drinks. Formula: C 12 H 22 O 11

2. any of a class of simple water-soluble carbohydrates, such as sucrose, lactose, and fructose

3. informal a term of affection, esp for one's sweetheart

4. rare a slang word for money

5. a slang name for LSD

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verb

1. (tr) to add sugar to; make sweet

2. (tr) to cover or sprinkle with sugar

3. (intr) to produce sugar

4. to make something unpleasant more agreeable by adding something pleasant

   the government stopped wage increases but sugared the pill by reducing taxes

sugar Scientific  

/ shg′ər /

1. Any of a class of crystalline carbohydrates that are water-soluble, have a characteristic sweet taste, and are universally present in animals and plants. They are characterized by the many OH groups they contain. Sugars are monosaccharides or small oligosaccharides, and include sucrose, glucose, and lactose.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsugar
  noun
• sugar-like
  adjective
• sugarless
  adjective
• sugarlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sugar

1250–1300; Middle English sugre, sucre (noun) < Middle French sucre < Medieval Latin succārum < Italian zucchero < Arabic sukkar; obscurely akin to Persian shakar, Greek sákcharon ( see sacchar-)

Explanation

Sugar is the sweet stuff that makes candy and other treats extra delicious, but eating too much of it is bad for you. Sugar isn’t only a food, it’s also an essential part of living cells and a source of energy for all animals. There are two main senses of sugar. First is refined sugar — the crystals that sweeten and preserve many foods. This yummy stuff comes from the sugarcane and sugar beet plants, and really hit the scene in the 18th and 19th centuries when sugar plantations spread and more people could get sugar. The other kind of sugar refers to biochemistry, and these sugars are an important part of the cells of all living things.

Example Sentences

The finished cake is topped with a chocolate-cardamom whipped cream that calls for just four ingredients: cocoa powder, ground cardamom, sugar and heavy cream.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

Shelke also observed that a fortified snack with, say, six grams of fiber but 15 grams of added sugar can’t be called a health food.

From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026

This is because, over time, high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels that supply the nerves to the feet.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

There’s also the meringue, which calls for four: egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar and a pinch of salt.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

No boy, even one who smelled like fresh coffee and sugar, would change that.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

• carbohydrate