Candy
Pronunciation
- enPR: kăn'di, IPA: /ˈkændi/
- Rhymes: -ændi
Origin 1
From Old French sucre candi ("candy sugar"), from Arabic قندي (qandi, "candied"), from Arabic قند (qand, "hard candy made by boiling cane sugar"), from Persian کند; ultimately from Sanskrit खणà¥à¤¡ (khaṇá¸a, "candied sugar"), root खणà¥à¤¡à¥ (khaṇá¸, "to divide, break into pieces"), or from Proto-Dravidian *kaṇá¹u; compare Tamil கணà¯à®Ÿà¯ (kantu, "hard candy").
Full definition of candy
Noun
candy
(countable and uncountable; plural candys)- (uncountable, chiefly US) Edible, sweet-tasting confectionery containing sugar, or sometimes artificial sweeteners, and often flavored with fruit, chocolate, nuts, herbs and spices, or artificial flavors.
- 1991, Brayfield, Celia, The Prince, They came down to buy sugar, flour, saltfish or candy from Nana, to collect letters and exchange gossip.
- (countable, chiefly US) A piece of confectionery of this kind.
- 1991, Ann Granger, A Season for Murder, Unwholesome pink and yellow candies were sold from trays.
Synonyms
- (confection) confectionery, sweets British, lollies Australia, sugar candy US
- (piece of candy) sweet British, lolly Australia
Derived terms
Verb
Origin 2
From Marathi खंडी, from Sanskrit खणà¥à¤¡à¤¨, from root खणà¥à¤¡à¥ (khaṇá¸, "to divide, break into pieces").
Alternative forms
Noun
candy
(plural candies)- (obsolete) a unit of mass used in southern India, equal to twenty maunds, roughly equal to 500 pounds avoirdupois but varying locally.