ENGLISH
REFERENCE

caramel

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate US //ˈkɛɹəməɫ// UK //kˈæɹəmˌɛl// caramel Archaic

n. a sweet, sticky food made by boiling sugar until it turns brown. You use this word for the candy itself or the flavor in desserts.

n. a confection produced by heating sugar until it melts and browns; also the resulting brown color or flavor.


SIMPLE

She added caramel to the top of the ice cream.

CONTEXTUAL

The baker drizzled warm caramel over the apple pie before serving it to the guests.

COMPLEX

The dessert featured a complex interplay of bitter chocolate and sweet caramel, creating a rich, balanced flavor profile.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from French caramel, from Spanish caramelo, from Portuguese caramelo, dissimilated from Late Latin calamellus, diminutive of calamus (“reed”) (and a doublet of chalumeau and shawm). Alternatively from Medieval Latin cannamellis, which is a compound of canna + mellis.

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