syrup
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a thick, sweet liquid made from sugar and water, often used on food like pancakes.
n.a viscous liquid consisting of a concentrated solution of sugar in water, often used as a culinary topping or base.
Simple“He poured maple syrup over his pancakes on Sunday morning.”
In context“The chef reduced the fruit juice into a thick syrup to glaze the roasted duck before serving it to the guests.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a thick liquid medicine that you swallow.
n.a pharmaceutical vehicle consisting of a saturated solution of sugar in which medicinal substances are dissolved.
Simple“The doctor prescribed a cough syrup to help him sleep better.”
In context“The paediatrician recommended a fruit-flavoured syrup to make the bitter antibiotic more palatable for the young child.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.something that is too sweet, emotional, or romantic in a way that feels fake.
n.excessive or cloying sentimentality in art, speech, or behaviour.
Simple“The movie was full of romantic syrup and had a very predictable ending.”
In context“The critic dismissed the novel as pure syrup, arguing that its emotional beats were engineered rather than earned.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a slang word for a wig or hairpiece.
n.a hairpiece or wig; derived from Cockney rhyming slang 'syrup of figs'.
Simple“It was obvious to everyone in the room that the man was wearing a syrup.”
In context“The comedian made a subtle joke about the politician's poorly fitted syrup during the late-night broadcast.”
UsageUsually used with the definite article 'the' or a possessive pronoun.
Teacher's tipThis is very specific to British English and is based on rhyming 'syrup of figs' with 'wigs'.
Synonymswigtoupee - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to put syrup on something or turn something into syrup.
v.to coat with or convert into a viscous, sugary substance.
Simple“The recipe says to syrup the peaches before putting them in the jar.”
In context“The industrial process involves heating the fruit extract until it begins to syrup, ensuring a long shelf life for the preserve.”
From Middle English sirup, from Old French sirop, from Medieval Latin siruppus, syrupus, from Arabic شَرَاب (šarāb, “a drink, beverage, wine, coffee, syrup”), from شَرِبَ (šariba, “to drink”). Doublet of sirop. Related to sorbet, sherbet, sharbat. Compare French sirop, Italian siroppo, sciroppo, Spanish jarabe, jarope, Portuguese xarope, and Dutch siroop and stroop. The first known use of the spelling sirup was in the 14th century.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.