taffy

noun taf·fy \ ˈta-fē \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of taffy

plural taffies

1 : a boiled candy usually of sugar, molasses or corn syrup, butter, and often vinegar and vanilla that is pulled until porous and glossy

2 : insincere flattery

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See taffy defined for kids

Examples of taffy in a Sentence

the magazine's profiles of showbiz celebrities tend to be pure taffy

Recent Examples of taffy from the Web

Sucked into the machine, my nipples looked like long, pink taffy, stretched and then milked.

— meaghan o'connell, Longreads, "A Certain Kind of Mammal," 10 Apr. 2018
The syrup’s sugars caramelize just enough to intensify the maple flavors, and the combination of warm, chewy maple taffy and little flecks of residual snow is divine.

— todd plummer, Vogue, "This Québecois Treat Is the Perfect Dessert for Your Next Winter Dinner Party," 22 Jan. 2018
As a traditional Korean taffy maker in the shopping district of Myeongdong, his candy stand relies on tourism to survive.

— bruce harrison, NBC News, "S. Koreans shrug amid Trump’s ‘nuclear button’ dust-up with Kim," 5 Jan. 2018
First produced in 1922, brilliantly named Abba-Zaba are flat rolls of dense white taffy piped with a creamy peanut butter filling.

— rachel tepper paley, Bon Appetit, "To Win Halloween, Order Nostalgic Candy On Amazon," 26 Oct. 2017
The temporal lobes — where sound is heard, memories are formed and emotions originate — had been pulled back and down, stretched like saltwater taffy.

— New York Times, "Why Was Their Brother’s Memory and Behavior so Strange?," 2 Nov. 2017
By the end of the night, each of your children is likely to be in possession of a pillowcase, heavy with tiny candy bars, taffy and the occasional box of raisins.

— kirby adams, The Courier-Journal, "Swap your leftover candy for a $5 gift card, plus help make the troops happy," 31 Oct. 2017
Fairgoers can watch the taffy-making process through observation windows as flavors like vanilla, black walnut and even jalapeño are pulled, cut and then wrapped in individual wrappers for purchase.

— courtney ortega, star-telegram, "First time at the State Fair of Texas? Here’s what you need know," 26 Sep. 2017
Love that summer uniform…the tank-top jumpsuit s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d like taffy over the chocolate net, see-through, pectoralis major body shirt.

— gail sheehy, Daily Intelligencer, "Wide Open City/Part II: Redpants and Sugarman," 9 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'taffy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of taffy

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1817

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TAFFY Defined for English Language Learners

taffy

noun

Definition of taffy for English Language Learners

: a type of soft and chewy candy

TAFFY Defined for Kids

taffy

noun taf·fy \ ˈta-fē \

Definition of taffy for Students

plural taffies

: a candy made usually of molasses or brown sugar boiled and pulled until soft

Learn More about taffy

See words that rhyme with taffy Spanish Central: Translation of taffy Nglish: Translation of taffy for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about taffy

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taffy

Definition of taffy

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TAFFY Defined for English Language Learners

taffy

Definition of taffy for English Language Learners

TAFFY Defined for Kids

taffy

Definition of taffy for Students

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