caramel
Americannoun
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a liquid made by cooking sugar until it changes color, used for coloring and flavoring food.
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a kind of chewy candy, commonly in small blocks, made from sugar, butter, milk, etc.
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a yellowish brown or tan color.
noun
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burnt sugar, used for colouring and flavouring food
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a chewy sweet made from sugar, butter, milk, etc
Usage
What is caramel? Caramel is a liquid made by heating sugar until it changes to a brownish color. Caramel is used for coloring or flavoring food. Caramel is often used as a flavoring or sauce for a variety of foods, especially desserts, such as caramel ice cream and caramel-coated popcorn. The word caramel can also refer to a chewy candy made from the heated sugar, milk, butter, and other ingredients. It’s often shaped into cubes and is sometimes covered in chocolate, which you might find in a box of Valentine’s Day chocolates. Finally, caramel can refer to a tan or yellowish-brown color that resembles the color of the sugary liquid, as in The cat had a caramel-colored tail. Example: My favorite candy is a chocolate bar filled with caramel.
Etymology
Origin of caramel
First recorded in 1715–25; from French, from Spanish or Portuguese caramelo, from Late Latin calamellus “little reed” (by dissimilation), equivalent to calam(us) reed ( see calamus) + -ellus diminutive suffix; meaning changed by association with Medieval Latin cannamella, canna mellis, etc., “sugarcane,” equivalent to Latin canna cane + mel “honey” (genitive mellis )
Compare meaning
How does caramel compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Caramel is a sticky or runny sweet that's made from slightly burnt sugar. You might prefer your vanilla ice cream topped with caramel. Caramel can be used in many ways — to flavor foods, pour on top of desserts, or form into a soft, chewy candy. You can also use the word to describe the milky brown color itself: "She's the one with the long, caramel colored hair." In French, caramel means "burnt sugar," which comes from the Latin cannamellis, a combination of canna, "cane," and mel, "honey."
Vocabulary lists containing caramel
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.
The natural color dubbed ordinary or plain caramel was associated with a 15% increased risk of overall cancer.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
There’s also République, the French-inspired bakery and cafe known for its salted caramel chocolate cake.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
The brown butter lends a nutty undertone and caramel depth, a quiet bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
At M&S varieties now include red velvet, lemon curd, tiramisu, caramel fudge, chocolate, cheese and apple incarnations.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
The smell of caramel drifted across the room.
From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo
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.
