Word
butterscotch
Phoneticsbut·ter·scotch, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbətɝˌskɑtʃ/
UK/bˈʌtəskˌɒtʃ/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a sweet golden-brown flavour made from butter and brown sugar, used in candies, sauces and desserts.
n. a confectionery flavour produced by cooking butter with brown sugar, also used for the hard candy and sauce made from that mixture.
Examples
“I love butterscotch ice cream on warm evenings.”
“She orders a latte with butterscotch syrup every Friday after her morning class.”
“The old sweet shop still makes butterscotch the traditional way, slowly melting butter and dark sugar until the mixture turns deep amber.”
Examples
simple
“I love butterscotch ice cream on warm evenings.”
contextual
“She orders a latte with butterscotch syrup every Friday after her morning class.”
complex
“The old sweet shop still makes butterscotch the traditional way, slowly melting butter and dark sugar until the mixture turns deep amber.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “butterscotch” in context.
Verb
01. butterscotch hardens
“Leave it to cool until the butterscotch hardens completely.”
noun + verb
02. butterscotch melts
“The butterscotch melts quickly, so serve the dessert at once.”
noun + verb
03. drizzle butterscotch
“She drizzled butterscotch over the popcorn for a sweet snack.”
verb + noun
04. make butterscotch
“You can make butterscotch at home with butter and sugar.”
verb + noun
05. pour butterscotch
“He poured butterscotch into the moulds to make candies.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. creamy butterscotch
“The cake has a creamy butterscotch filling that melts in your mouth.”
adj + noun
07. golden butterscotch
“The candies have a smooth golden butterscotch centre.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. butterscotch pudding
“For dessert, we made creamy butterscotch pudding with cream.”
noun + noun
09. butterscotch sauce
“He warmed up some butterscotch sauce to pour over cake.”
noun + noun
10. hint of butterscotch
“This coffee has a sweet hint of butterscotch and vanilla.”
noun + prep + noun
11. a hint of butterscotch
“This tea leaves a hint of butterscotch in your mouth.”
12. creamy butterscotch sauce for cake
“We served creamy butterscotch sauce for cake at the party.”
Real-World Examples
“Butterscotch stands apart from other caramelized confections because it typically is made with brown sugar instead of granulated sugar, and butter is always included during the cooking process.” “Butterscotch candy had come first--the butterscotch flavor develops naturally when you boil sugar syrup and butter together to a high enough temperature to make hard candy.” “It is aged for six months and has notes of butterscotch and nuts.” “In its truest form, butterscotch hinges upon sugar and dairy (and the beautiful things that happen to them both at high temperatures).” Etymology
From butter + scotch, with the second element deriving (not from scotch whiskey or Scotland, but) from Middle English scocchen (“to score, nick, cut”), in reference to how the candy is boiled and hardened and then usually scored to make breaking it apart easier. The word is usually said to have originally been a trademark of Parkinson's, who is claimed to have invented it.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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