molasses

[muh-las-iz]

noun

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

molasses

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of molasses¹

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of molasses¹

C16: from Portuguese melaço, from Late Latin mellāceum must, from Latin mel honey

Related Words

• maple syrup