candy
/ˈkændi/
noun
Origin
Sanskrit
khaṇḍa — piece, fragment, sugar
Overview
Meaning Now
- A confection made with sugar, syrup, and flavoring, often boiled and crystallized.
- Small pieces of sweet food made from sugar, chocolate, or fruit.
Literal older meaning
crystallized sugar
Language path
Sanskrit → Persian → Arabic → Old French → English
Earliest form
candi
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The term entered the English language via the Mediterranean sugar trade, where Arabic 'qandi' referred to sugar that had been refined and crystallized, a process perfected by sugar refiners in the Middle East during the Middle Ages.
Evolution
- Sanskrit
khaṇḍa
“piece, fragment”
- Persian
qand
“cane sugar”
- Arabic
qandi
“made of sugar”
- Old French
candi
“crystallized sugar”
- Middle English
candy
“sweetened confection”
Connections
Word parts
candy
root
sugar-based confection
Related across languages
French
sucre candi
rock candy
Spanish
cande
crystallized sugar
Explore next
Related to candy
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.