sugar

[ shoog-er ]

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. Compare beet sugar, cane sugar.
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

verb (used with object)

1. to cover, sprinkle, mix, or sweeten with sugar.
2. to make agreeable.

verb (used without object)

1. to form sugar or sugar crystals.
2. to make maple sugar.

verb phrase

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

Sugar

¹

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. SugarAlan (Michael) Baron1947MBritishBUSINESS: businessman Alan ( Michael ). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)

sugar

²

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Also calledsucrosesaccharose 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 saccharine
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. See money
   rare.
   a slang word for money
5. See LSD
   a slang name for LSD

verb

1. tr to add sugar to; make sweet
2. tr to cover or sprinkle with sugar
3. intr to produce sugar
4. sugar the pill
   sugar the pillsugar the medicine to make something unpleasant more agreeable by adding something pleasant

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

sugar

/ 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.

Derived Forms

• ˈsugarless, adjective
• ˈsugar-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• sugar·less adjective
• sugar·like adjective
• non·sugar noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sugar¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sugar¹

C13 suker, from Old French çucre, from Medieval Latin zuccārum, from Italian zucchero, from Arabic sukkar, from Persian shakar, from Sanskrit śarkarā

Example Sentences

If saccharide reminds you of sugar, it’s because sugars are saccharides.

From Science News For Students

Leaves, for instance, get their green from chlorophyll — the same chemical that helps them make sugar from sunlight.

From Science News For Students

That let them identify proteins, sugars and metals in the slime.

From Science News For Students

That yeast breaks down glucose, a simple sugar, to make beer’s alcohol and carbon dioxide.

From Science News For Students

They received pollen and a sugar water solution, but no pesticide.

From Science News For Students

Alcohol and sugar, even in moderate amounts, are not only sinful but poisonous.

From The Daily Beast

Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

From The Daily Beast

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

From The Daily Beast

Remove from heat and stir in the walnuts, rum, powdered sugar, and salt until fully incorporated.

From The Daily Beast

Other versions are coated in marzipan, or dusted in powder sugar.

From The Daily Beast

His chief duty on the sugar plantation is to keep the monkeys out of the cane.

From Project Gutenberg

Besides, there is always a bunch of bananas hanging inside the house, and he has sugar-cane in abundance.

From Project Gutenberg

Until a few months ago, the boy has lived on a sugar plantation owned by a rich Tagal planter.

From Project Gutenberg

Receiving small encouragement in England, he applied to sugar-cane planters to give his engines a trial in the West Indies.

From Project Gutenberg

Spain is at war with North America, and now offers us this sugar-plum to draw us to her side to defend her against invasion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• carbohydrate