candy

[ kan-dee ]

/ ˈkæn di /

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noun, plural can·dies.

any of a variety of confections made with sugar, syrup, etc., often combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, etc.

a single piece of such a confection.

someone or something that is pleasing or pleasurable, usually in a superficial way (often used in combination): The show is candy, but enjoy it for what it is. See also arm candy, ear candy, eye candy.

verb (used with object), can·died, can·dy·ing.

to cook in sugar or syrup, as sweet potatoes or carrots.

to cook in heavy syrup until transparent, as fruit, fruit peel, or ginger.

to reduce (sugar, syrup, etc.) to a crystalline form, usually by boiling down.

to coat with sugar: to candy dates.

to make sweet, palatable, or agreeable.

verb (used without object), can·died, can·dy·ing.

to become covered with sugar.

to crystallize into sugar.

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QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Origin of candy

1225–75; Middle English candi, sugre candi candied sugar <Middle French sucre candi; candi ≪ Arabic qandī<Persian qandi sugar <Sanskrit khaṇḍakaḥ sugar candy

OTHER WORDS FROM candy

can·dy·like, adjective

Words nearby candy

Candomblé, candor, candour, can do with, C and W, candy, candy apple, candy ass, candy cane, candy-coat, candy corn

Other definitions for candy (2 of 2)

Candy

[ kan-dee ]

/ ˈkæn di /

noun

a female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use candy in a sentence

The holiday is basically an “excuse to buy candy,” says Dickerson.
How scary will a COVID-19 Halloween be for candy companies?|Beth Kowitt|August 29, 2020|Fortune
She added that if trick-or-treating is lower than expected, Hershey will focus on the “Treat for Me and Candy Bowl occasion”—industry-speak for people buying candy that they will end up eating themselves.
How scary will a COVID-19 Halloween be for candy companies?|Beth Kowitt|August 29, 2020|Fortune
Self-consumption has always been a massive part of the holiday and may end up salvaging sales for candy makers this year.
How scary will a COVID-19 Halloween be for candy companies?|Beth Kowitt|August 29, 2020|Fortune
The inside shop is full of Nordic products, from sodas to mustards to mints and candies.
You know what Dupont needed? A Nordic restaurant|Brock Thompson|August 12, 2020|Washington Blade

It is a nontoxic substance often used in candy to bind ingredients together.
Science of ‘Seinfeld’|LGBTQ-Editor|June 15, 2020|No Straight News
In fact, that candy store is heavy industry, with all the mess that entails.
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban|Jay Michaelson|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Another returned a printer box stuffed with a candy-filled piñata.
The Insane $11 Billion Scam at Retailers’ Return Desks|M.L. Nestel|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
These medications will not continue to work when we need them if they are handed out like candy.
Without Education, Antibiotic Resistance Will Be Our Greatest Health Crisis|Russell Saunders|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile younger, lighter colors evoke citrus and tree fruits, candy sugars and vanilla toffee.
Why Natural Color Is So Crucial To Understanding A Whisky’s Flavors||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Not just a candy factory but a candy store, and everything in it free.
‘Asteroids’ & The Dawn of the Gamer Age|David Owen|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Clarence's papa said the candy had better be eaten by monkeys than by boys; but I doubt whether Clarence was of that opinion.
The Nursery, July 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 1|Various
He fed the monkeys with candy, and laughed to see them hang by their tails while they took it from his hand.
The Nursery, July 1873, Vol. XIV. No. 1|Various
It is extremely soluble in water, and can be obtained in large transparent prismatic crystals, as in common sugar-candy.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry|Thomas Anderson
Four miles before reaching Candy, we came to the river Mahavilaganga, which is spanned by a masterly bridge of one arch.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
In my opinion, the situation of Candy is most beautiful, but many affirm that it is too near the mountains, and lies in a pit.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer

British Dictionary definitions for candy

candy

/ (ˈkændɪ) /

noun plural -dies

mainly US and Canadian confectionery in general; sweets, chocolate, etc

a person or thing that is regarded as being attractive but superficialarm candy

like taking candy from a baby informal very easy to accomplish

verb -dies, -dying or -died

to cause (sugar, etc) to become crystalline, esp by boiling or (of sugar) to become crystalline through boiling

to preserve (fruit peel, ginger, etc) by boiling in sugar

to cover with any crystalline substance, such as ice or sugar

Word Origin for candy

C18: from Old French sucre candi candied sugar, from Arabic qandi candied, from qand cane sugar, of Dravidian origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

candy

Origin of candy

OTHER WORDS FROM candy

Words nearby candy

Other definitions for candy (2 of 2)

Words related to candy

How to use candy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for candy

Word Origin for candy