caramel

Where does the word "caramel" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin cannamellis, passing through Old Spanish and French before entering English (1725).

Caramel’s story begins in Medieval Latin: cannamellis meant “sugar cane.” Possibly combining canna (cane) and mellis (honey), though the origin is uncertain. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old Spanish as caramel. Of uncertain origin, came to mean burnt sugar. From there it passed into French as caramel by 1600s-1700s. Possibly from Medieval Latin 'cannamella', sugar cane. It reached English by 1725 as caramel. Caramel sweets became popular in the US in the 1880s. Today, caramel means a chewy candy or flavoring made from heated sugar.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval cannamellis "sugar cane", possibly combining canna (cane) and mellis (honey), though the origin is uncertain.
2. Stage 2 · Old Spanish · medieval caramel "burnt sugar", of uncertain origin, came to mean burnt sugar.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s-1700s caramel "burnt-sugar confection", possibly from Medieval Latin 'cannamella', sugar cane.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1725 caramel "a soft, chewy sugar candy", caramel sweets became popular in the US in the 1880s.