butterscotch
Americannoun
-
a flavor produced in puddings, frostings, ice cream, etc., by combining brown sugar, vanilla extract, and butter with other ingredients.
-
a hard, brittle taffy made with butter, brown sugar, etc.
-
a golden brown color.
adjective
noun
-
a kind of hard brittle toffee made with butter, brown sugar, etc
-
-
a flavouring made from these ingredients
-
( as modifier )
butterscotch icing
-
Etymology
Origin of butterscotch
First recorded in 1850–55; earlier also butterscot; the 2nd element of the compound is unexplained
Vocabulary lists containing butterscotch
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“People ask what would you do in your first days as governor, if you have the privilege of serving,” Yee said, as her butterscotch latte sat cooling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2026
The cake had a butterscotch frosting, which was brown and thus “weird.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
Or classic brown butter chocolate chip cookies, which adds notes of butterscotch and toffee that enhance the cookies’ overall depth.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2025
Its basic dough is close to my favorite oatmeal raisin iteration, full of dark brown sugar for butterscotch notes and crisp, caramelized edges.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 21, 2024
From her pocket she pulled out a piece of butterscotch.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
