candy
candy Lexical Profile
candy Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A sweet food made primarily with sugar or syrup, typically flavored, colored, and formed into small pieces.
"She bought a colorful bag of assorted candy to give out to the neighborhood children on Halloween."
Something that is pleasing or appealing to the senses but often lacks deep substance or enduring value.
"The summer action movie was entirely visual candy, featuring stunning special effects but very little plot."
• verb
To preserve or coat food by cooking it in a heavy syrup or sugar (especially fruit, citrus peels, or nuts).
"The pastry chef decided to candy the orange peels to use as a vibrant garnish for the chocolate cake."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North American English, 'candy' refers broadly to sugary confections, whereas British English typically uses 'sweets' and reserves 'candy' for specific types like rock candy or candy floss.
• Rhymes for candy
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From late Middle English 'sugre candi' (crystallized sugar), derived via Old French 'çucre candi' and Arabic 'sukkar qandī', ultimately from the Sanskrit 'khaṇḍaka' meaning 'sugar candy'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.