# caramel

/ˈkɛɹəməɫ/ (US) · /kˈæɹəmˌɛl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/caramel
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. sweet substance

noun · CEFR B1

a smooth, sticky, and sweet food made by heating sugar until it turns brown.

For teachers: a smooth, chewy confection or sauce produced by heating sugar and often dairy products until the sugars polymerize.

- The chef poured warm caramel over the apple cake before serving it.
- The pastry chef carefully monitored the temperature of the sugar, knowing that a few seconds too long would turn the sweet caramel bitter.

### 2. a single candy

noun · CEFR B1

a small, chewy piece of candy made from caramel.

For teachers: an individual piece of firm, chewy candy composed primarily of caramelized sugar and fats.

- She offered me a salted caramel from the box on her desk.
- The artisanal shop sells handmade caramels wrapped in wax paper, featuring local sea salt and organic cream.

### 3. light brown colour

adjective · CEFR B2

having a warm, light brown colour like burnt sugar.

For teachers: denoting a light-to-medium golden-brown colour resembling that of cooked sugar.

- He wore a caramel coat that matched his leather boots perfectly.
- The interior designer suggested caramel upholstery to complement the dark mahogany panelling of the library.

### 4. to cook sugar

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to cook something, usually sugar or onions, until it turns brown and sweet.

For teachers: to convert into caramel through the application of heat; often used as a synonym for 'caramelize' in older texts.

- The old recipe said to caramel the sugar slowly over a low flame.
- The historical manuscript instructs the cook to caramel the sugar until it reaches a deep amber hue before adding the cream.

Usage: In modern English, 'caramelize' is almost always preferred over the verb form 'caramel'.

## Examples

- She added caramel to the top of the ice cream.
- The baker drizzled warm caramel over the apple pie before serving it to the guests.
- The dessert featured a complex interplay of bitter chocolate and sweet caramel, creating a rich, balanced flavor profile.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.