caramel

noun

car·​a·​mel ˈkär-məl  ˈker-ə-məl 

ˈka-rə-,

-ˌmel

1

: a usually firm to brittle, golden-brown to dark brown substance that has a sweet, nutty, buttery, or bitter flavor, is obtained by heating sugar at high temperature, and used especially as a coloring and flavoring agent

Caramel is an ingredient in many candies.

2

: a firm, chewy, usually caramel-flavored candy made with sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter

a bag of caramels

Examples of caramel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Caramel Apple Empanada—Crispy crust filled with warm apple and creamy caramel. —Ben Kelly, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025

Although this impossible-to-photograph version of the ever-popular Salted Nut Roll isn’t much to look at, the peanuts, nougat, caramel and dark chocolate are a perfect combo. —Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 26 Aug. 2025

Take the incident known as Bingate, from Season 5, in which Iain, a construction engineer from Northern Ireland, sets out to make a chocolate-and-coffee-caramel Baked Alaska. —Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025

On the palate, the whiskey showcases flavors of hazelnut, caramel-pancakes, vanilla and warm spices. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing caramel

• crème caramel

Kids Definition

caramel

noun

car·​a·​mel ˈkär-məl  ˈkar-ə-məl 

-ˌmel

1

: burnt sugar used for coloring and flavoring

2

: a firm chewy candy

Medical Definition

caramel

noun

car·​a·​mel ˈkar-ə-məl  -ˌmel; ˈkär-məl 

: an amorphous brittle brown and somewhat bitter substance obtained by heating sugar and used as a coloring and flavoring agent