Main Entry:

car·a·mel

Pronunciation:

\ˈkär-məl; ˈker-ə-məl, ˈka-rə-, -ˌmel\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

French, from Spanish caramelo, from Portuguese, icicle, caramel, from Late Latin calamellus small reed — more at shawm

Date:

1653

1 : an amorphous brittle brown and somewhat bitter substance obtained by heating sugar and used as a coloring and flavoring agent 2 : a firm chewy usually caramel-flavored candy