caramelization

noun

car·​a·​mel·​i·​za·​tion ˌkär-mə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

ˌker-ə-mə-,

ˌka-rə-mə-

: the process of heating sugar (such as granulated white sugar or the sugar contained in a food) at high temperature so that water is removed and the sugar is broken down (as into glucose and fructose) and then reformed into complex polymers producing a sweet, nutty, or buttery flavor and golden-brown to dark brown color : the nonenzymatic process of changing sugar or the sugar content of a food into caramel (see caramel sense 1)

An intense caramelization of the carrots concentrates their flavor and brings up their sweetness until they're almost like candy-but the roasted garlic and thyme keep the dish on the savory side.

—April Bloomfield

Examples of caramelization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The close contact of the food with the hot metal triggers the Maillard reaction, with all its flavor-boosting caramelization of animal proteins and plant sugars. —Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

The caramelization process converts starches to sugar in sweet potatoes as well as in other veggies. —Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 16 Aug. 2025

Broiling the pineapple gives it some nice caramelization and a little char to really draw out all the sweetness of the pineapple. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2025

The squash and onions get a welcome amount of sweet caramelization, contrasting nicely with the juicy snap of the sausages. —Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 14 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for caramelization

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization