molasses

American  

[muh-las-iz] / məˈlæs ɪz /

noun

1. a thick syrup produced during the refining of sugar or from sorghum, varying from light to dark brown in color.

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molasses British  

/ məˈlæsɪz /

noun

1. the thick brown uncrystallized bitter syrup obtained from sugar during refining

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): treacle.  a dark viscous syrup obtained during the refining of sugar

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Etymology

Origin of molasses

1575–85; earlier molassos, molasso ( e ) s < Portuguese melaços, plural of melaço (< Late Latin mellācium half-boiled new wine, for *mellāceum, neuter of *mellāceus honeylike, equivalent to mell-, stem of mel honey + -āceus -aceous )

Explanation

Molasses is a gloppy, thick syrup made from sugar. If you are slow as molasses, then you should probably drop out of the track team. The process of producing sugar from sugar cane involves several stages of boiling, and the syrup that results from this becomes molasses. The very darkest, thickest kind of molasses is called "blackstrap," which is more bitter than other molasses, but also contains all kinds of vitamins and minerals and is used by some people as a dietary supplement. The word molasses comes from the Latin mellaceus, "like honey."

Example Sentences

Molasses is another ingredient sometimes found in gingerbread.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2023

I’m thinking Chewy Molasses Cookies with pumpkin spice ice cream!

From Washington Times • Aug. 7, 2023

Molasses, cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon flavors are all throughout many fall stouts.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2022

Molasses is fermented using a mix of commercial and wild yeast, the latter said to add a light briny note.

From BBC • Sep. 15, 2018

Devastating as the destruction was, it would be the human stories and the human suffering that would best define what would become known as the Great Molasses Flood.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• maple syrup