syrup

noun

syr·​up ˈsər-əp  ˈsir-əp 

ˈsə-rəp

variants or less commonly sirup

1

a

: a thick sticky solution of sugar and water often flavored or medicated

b

: the concentrated juice of a fruit or plant

2

: cloying sweetness or sentimentality

syrupy

ˈsər-ə-pē  ˈsir-ə- 

ˈsə-rə-

adjective

Synonyms of syrup

• sentimentality
• sentimentalism

Examples of syrup in a Sentence

ice cream and chocolate syrup

She poured syrup all over her pancakes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Brush them with half the maple syrup and dribble the rest of the syrup inside them. —Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2025

As a final touch, the cake gets drizzled with chocolate syrup and sprinkled with white chocolate curls. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2025

Here are the eight restaurants that best celebrate syrup’s story. —Pamela MacNaughtan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Nov. 2025

Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands, like Puerto Rico, are more familiar with rum cake, which is typically made with a yellow cake base, baked in a bundt pan and soaked in rum syrup. —Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sirup, from Anglo-French sirop, from Medieval Latin syrupus, from Arabic sharāb

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing syrup

• corn syrup
• cough syrup
• golden syrup
• maple syrup
• simple syrup

Rhymes for syrup

• stirrup

Kids Definition

syrup

noun

syr·​up

variants or sirup

ˈsər-əp, 

ˈsir-əp, 

ˈsə-rəp

1

: a thick solution of sugar and water often containing a flavoring or a medicine

2

: the juice of a fruit or plant with some of the water removed

syrupy

-ē

adjective

Medical Definition

syrup

noun

syr·​up

variants also sirup

ˈsər-əp  ˈsir-əp 

: a thick sticky liquid consisting of a concentrated solution of sugar and water with or without the addition of a flavoring agent or medicinal substance

syrup of codeine

syrupy adjective

or sirupy

-ē