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• sugar
  sugar

  noun

  a sweet, crystalline substance, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 , obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.
• Sugar
  Sugar

  noun

  Alan ( Michael ). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)

sugar

American  

[shoog-er] / ˈʃʊg ər /

noun

1. a sweet, crystalline substance, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 , obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.

2. Chemistry. a member of the same class of carbohydrates, as lactose, glucose, or fructose.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or a romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

4. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter S.

5. Slang. money.

6. Slang. LSD

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verb (used with object)

sugars, present (3rd person singular) sugared, past participle, past sugaring present participle

1. to cover, sprinkle, mix, or sweeten with sugar.

2. to make agreeable.

verb (used without object)

sugars, present (3rd person singular) sugared, past participle, past sugaring present participle

1. to form sugar or sugar crystals.

2. to make maple sugar.

verb phrase

1. sugar off (in making maple sugar) to complete the boiling down of the syrup in preparation for granulation.

Sugar ¹ British  

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Alan ( Michael ). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)

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sugar ² British  

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Also called: sucrose.   saccharose.  a white crystalline sweet carbohydrate, a disaccharide, found in many plants and extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet: it is used esp as a sweetening agent in food and drinks. Formula: C 12 H 22 O 11

2. any of a class of simple water-soluble carbohydrates, such as sucrose, lactose, and fructose

3. informal a term of affection, esp for one's sweetheart

4. rare a slang word for money

5. a slang name for LSD

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verb

1. (tr) to add sugar to; make sweet

2. (tr) to cover or sprinkle with sugar

3. (intr) to produce sugar

4. to make something unpleasant more agreeable by adding something pleasant

   the government stopped wage increases but sugared the pill by reducing taxes

sugar Scientific  

/ shg′ər /

1. Any of a class of crystalline carbohydrates that are water-soluble, have a characteristic sweet taste, and are universally present in animals and plants. They are characterized by the many OH groups they contain. Sugars are monosaccharides or small oligosaccharides, and include sucrose, glucose, and lactose.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsugar
  noun
• sugar-like
  adjective
• sugarless
  adjective
• sugarlike
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has sugared
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have sugared
  perfect
• has been sugaring
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is sugaring
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are sugaring
  progressive
• am sugaring
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been sugaring
  perfect progressive
• sugaring
  participle
• sugars
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had sugared
  perfect
• was sugaring
  progressive singular
• sugared
  simple
• sugared
  participle
• were sugaring
  progressive plural
• had been sugaring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sugar
  simple
• will have sugared
  perfect
• will be sugaring
  progressive
• will have been sugaring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sugar

1250–1300; Middle English sugre, sucre (noun) < Middle French sucre < Medieval Latin succārum < Italian zucchero < Arabic sukkar; obscurely akin to Persian shakar, Greek sákcharon ( see sacchar-)

Explanation

Sugar is the sweet stuff that makes candy and other treats extra delicious, but eating too much of it is bad for you. Sugar isn’t only a food, it’s also an essential part of living cells and a source of energy for all animals. There are two main senses of sugar. First is refined sugar — the crystals that sweeten and preserve many foods. This yummy stuff comes from the sugarcane and sugar beet plants, and really hit the scene in the 18th and 19th centuries when sugar plantations spread and more people could get sugar. The other kind of sugar refers to biochemistry, and these sugars are an important part of the cells of all living things.

Example Sentences

Sugar levels increased quickly in the warmer fruit before declining, while mangoes stored at 12°C showed a slower and steadier rise.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

Following Miller’s first house call, Sugar spent the rest of the day in a deep sleep.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

Action on Salt & Sugar urged people to check the salt content on the packet, but said it was down to government to do more.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

A former world kickboxing champion who came to the Palisades from the Florida Panhandle in 1982, Blanck has sparred with boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard and trained actors Tom Hanks and Steve Guttenberg.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Been a little busy with— Sugar balls, Nicky!

From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander

Related Words

• carbohydrate