candy

¹ American  

[kan-dee] / ˈkæn di /

noun

plural

candies

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

2. a single piece of such a confection.

3. Slang. cocaine.

4. 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.

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verb (used with object)

candied, candying

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

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

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

4. to coat with sugar.

   to candy dates.

5. to make sweet, palatable, or agreeable.

verb (used without object)

candied, candying

1. to become covered with sugar.

2. to crystallize into sugar.

Candy ² American  

[kan-dee] / ˈkæn di /

noun

1. a female given name.

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candy British  

/ ˈkændɪ /

noun

1. confectionery in general; sweets, chocolate, etc

2. a person or thing that is regarded as being attractive but superficial

   arm candy

3. informal very easy to accomplish

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verb

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

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

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

Other Word Forms

• candylike adjective

Etymology

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

Explanation

Candy is a sugary sweet treat. Halloween is partly about dressing up in costumes, but mostly it's about the candy. Your favorite candy may be sweet and fruity, or so sour you can barely stand to eat it. Other people prefer chocolate when it comes to candy. Candy is also a verb, meaning "coat with a sugary glaze," — you might candy cherries or almonds. And when something's made of candy, the word becomes an adjective: "But it's only a candy cigarette!" The word comes from the Arabic qandi, with its Persian root quand, "cane sugar."

Example Sentences

I can see how it might feel like it’s been treated like a ball of cotton candy to give it away.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

U.S. consumers spent $23.5 billion on chocolate candy in 2025, up 39% since 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Consumers are facing higher chocolate candy prices for Easter, with the average cost for a package up 10% from last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

So when the going gets tough, the tough … use leftover candy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

He’d pretend to get mad that I ate his candy again, and I’d giggle and deny it, my tongue raw and tingly from too much sugar.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• sweet