Spanish word

caramelo

Pronunciation

IPA/kaɾaˈmelo/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncandy

Example

¿Quieres un caramelo?

Do you want a candy?

Illustration for caramelo (candy)

More examples

No quedó ni un caramelo después de la fiesta.

There wasn't a piece of candy left after the party.

Core concept

Small hard or soft sweet sold as an individual piece.

Common phrases

  • un caramelo

    a piece of candy

  • caramelo de leche

    milk-flavored candy

  • caramelo blando

    chewy candy

Similar words

dulce: Sweet dessert or confection enjoyed as a sugary treat.
golosina: Small sweet treat popular with children and often bought in packs.
chuche: Inexpensive, child-oriented small candy eaten for fun.
bombón: One-bite chocolate confection, often filled or coated.

Definition in Spanish

Dulce sólido o blando hecho con azúcar y con frecuencia con leche o mantequilla, consumido como pieza individual.

Word origin

The word comes from medieval Latin canna plus mel ('cane' and 'honey'), which described sugar-and-honey sweets and gives modern Spanish caramelo the sense of an individual candy.

Usage tips

  • Caramelo is a general word for candy and does not imply caramel flavor, so products advertise sabor a caramelo or dulce de caramelo when they mean the caramel taste.

Other meanings

  • caramelnoun

Related words

  • caramelizarcaramelizeverb
  • caramelizacióncaramelizationnoun
  • caramelerocandy sellernoun

Word lists with this word