sugar

American  

[shoog-er] / ˈʃʊg ər /

noun

1. a sweet, crystalline substance, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 , obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap, etc.: used extensively as an ingredient and flavoring of certain foods and as a fermenting agent in the manufacture of certain alcoholic beverages; sucrose.

2. Chemistry. a member of the same class of carbohydrates, as lactose, glucose, or fructose.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) an affectionate or familiar term of address, as to a child or a romantic partner (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

4. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter S.

5. Slang. money.

6. Slang. LSD

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover, sprinkle, mix, or sweeten with sugar.

2. to make agreeable.

verb (used without object)

1. to form sugar or sugar crystals.

2. to make maple sugar.

verb phrase

1. sugar off (in making maple sugar) to complete the boiling down of the syrup in preparation for granulation.

Sugar ¹ British  

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Alan ( Michael ). Baron. born 1947, British electronics entrepreneur; chairman of Amstrad (1968–2008); noted for his BBC series The Apprentice (from 2005)

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sugar ² British  

/ ˈʃʊɡə /

noun

1. Also called: sucrose.   saccharose.  a white crystalline sweet carbohydrate, a disaccharide, found in many plants and extracted from sugar cane and sugar beet: it is used esp as a sweetening agent in food and drinks. Formula: C 12 H 22 O 11

2. any of a class of simple water-soluble carbohydrates, such as sucrose, lactose, and fructose

3. informal a term of affection, esp for one's sweetheart

4. rare a slang word for money

5. a slang name for LSD

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verb

1. (tr) to add sugar to; make sweet

2. (tr) to cover or sprinkle with sugar

3. (intr) to produce sugar

4. to make something unpleasant more agreeable by adding something pleasant

   the government stopped wage increases but sugared the pill by reducing taxes

sugar Scientific  

/ shg′ər /

1. Any of a class of crystalline carbohydrates that are water-soluble, have a characteristic sweet taste, and are universally present in animals and plants. They are characterized by the many OH groups they contain. Sugars are monosaccharides or small oligosaccharides, and include sucrose, glucose, and lactose.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsugar noun
• sugar-like adjective
• sugarless adjective
• sugarlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of sugar

1250–1300; Middle English sugre, sucre (noun) < Middle French sucre < Medieval Latin succārum < Italian zucchero < Arabic sukkar; obscurely akin to Persian shakar, Greek sákcharon ( sacchar- )

Example Sentences

There is general agreement that ultraprocessed foods are high-calorie foods high in unhealthy fats, sugar and salt, typically with low nutritional value.

From MarketWatch

The U.S. has long played a major role in Cuban history, from its involvement in the island’s war of independence from Spain to the heavy hand of American companies in Cuba’s sugar industry.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile the large sugar and tobacco plantations that once belonged to former colonizers were quickly being absorbed by American corporations — not by Cubans.

From Los Angeles Times

Most ultraprocessed products are what we think of as junk food, meaning they are high in added sugars, salt and saturated fat and low in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, earlier studies suggest that ultra-processed foods tend to be high in calories, added sugars and fats, and may affect hunger and metabolism.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• carbohydrate