molasses

American  

[muh-las-iz] / məˈlæs ɪz /

noun

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

---

molasses British  

/ 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

---

Etymology

Origin of molasses

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 )

Example Sentences

Rum is typically made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses, the thick treacle-like substance leftover after refined sugar has been produced from the harvested plants.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2025

As a child, I loved eating ribs doused in sweet tangy KC BBQ sauce made with molasses, acidic vinegar and spicy chile powder alongside my cousins.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 23, 2024

Or they may appear as other food ingredients, such as molasses, honey, jam, concentrated juice or syrup.

From Salon • Jul. 23, 2024

A low-viscosity fluid flows fast like water, while a viscous fluid acts more like molasses.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2024

It was true that the molasses came to Boston on big ships.

From "I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919" by Lauren Tarshis

Related Words

• maple syrup