molasses
Americannoun
noun
-
the thick brown uncrystallized bitter syrup obtained from sugar during refining
-
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 )
Explanation
Molasses is a gloppy, thick syrup made from sugar. If you are slow as molasses, then you should probably drop out of the track team. The process of producing sugar from sugar cane involves several stages of boiling, and the syrup that results from this becomes molasses. The very darkest, thickest kind of molasses is called "blackstrap," which is more bitter than other molasses, but also contains all kinds of vitamins and minerals and is used by some people as a dietary supplement. The word molasses comes from the Latin mellaceus, "like honey."
Vocabulary lists containing molasses
"The Drummer Boy of Shiloh," Vocabulary from the historical fiction
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
National Cookie Day
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
MicroHarvest uses byproducts of the sugar industry, such as molasses, which isn't typically eaten in Germany.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Add spiced chickpeas, peppery arugula, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses — and suddenly, you’re not eating for fuel.
From Salon ● May 19, 2025
Distillers threw rotten fruit and molasses waste in the gallon to brew with ammonium chloride to produce something called “snake juice,” which was collected by lepers and taken around the city.
From Salon ● Feb. 2, 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
American colonists used molasses not only to produce rum but to make beer as well.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
