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Definition of caramelize

caramelize

/ˈkær.ə.mə.laɪz/
(UK: caramelise)
car · a · mel · ize
Adjective:caramelized
•
Past Simple:caramelized
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Past Participle:caramelized
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Present Participle:caramelizing
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caramelize Lexical Profile

caramelize Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To heat sugar or a sugar-rich food slowly until it melts, turns brown, and develops a rich, sweet, nutty flavor, or to undergo this process during cooking.

Example

"The chef sautéed the sliced onions over low heat for forty minutes to caramelize their natural sugars."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for caramelize

Word Nuance & Usage

Spelled 'caramelise' in British English. In culinary chemistry, true caramelization involves only the thermal decomposition of sugars, though in everyday cooking it is often conflated with the Maillard reaction, which also requires amino acids.

• Nearby Words

carambola
caramel
caramelization
caramelize
caramelly
carat
caravan

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-19th century from 'caramel' and the verbal suffix '-ize'. The root 'caramel' entered English via French from Spanish 'caramelo', likely deriving from Late Latin 'calamellus' (a small reed, in reference to sugar cane).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Caramelize. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/caramelize
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