sweet

¹

[ sweet ]

adjective

, sweet·er, sweet·est.

1. having the taste or flavor characteristic of sugar, honey, etc.

   Synonyms: sugary

2. producing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is not bitter, sour, or salt.
3. not rancid or stale; fresh:

   This milk is still sweet.

4. not salt or salted:

   sweet butter.

5. pleasing to the ear; making a delicate, pleasant, or agreeable sound; musical.

   Synonyms: mellifluous, melodious

6. pleasing or fresh to the smell; fragrant; perfumed.

   Synonyms: aromatic, redolent

7. pleasing or agreeable; delightful.
8. amiable; kind or gracious, as a person, action, etc.

   Synonyms: charming, lovable, winning

9. dear; beloved; precious.
10. easily managed; done or effected without effort.
11. (of wine) not dry; containing unfermented, natural sugar.
12. (of a cocktail) made with a greater proportion of vermouth than usual.
13. sentimental, cloying, or unrealistic:

    a sweet painting of little kittens.

14. (of air) fresh; free from odor, staleness, excess humidity, noxious gases, etc.
15. free from acidity or sourness, as soil.
16. Chemistry.
    1. devoid of corrosive or acidic substances.
    2. (of fuel oil or gas) containing no sulfur compounds.
17. (of jazz or big band music) performed with a regular beat, moderate tempo, lack of improvisation, and an emphasis on warm tone and clearly outlined melody.

adverb

1. in a sweet manner; sweetly.

interjection

1. Slang. (used to express approval, admiration, satisfaction, pleasure, etc.:

   I hear she got a promotion. Sweet!

noun

1. a sweet flavor, smell, or sound; sweetness.
2. something that is sweet or causes or gives a sweet flavor, smell, or sound.
3. sweets,
   1. candy, pie, cake, and other foods high in sugar content.
   2. Informal. sweet potatoes.
4. Chiefly British.
   1. a piece of candy; confection or bonbon.
   2. a sweet dish or dessert, as a pudding or tart.
5. something pleasant to the mind or feelings.
6. a beloved person.
7. Often sweets. (in direct address) darling; sweetheart:

   Yes, my sweet.

Sweet

²

[ sweet ]

noun

1. Henry, 1845–1912, English philologist and linguist.

sweet

¹

/ swiːt /

adjective

1. having or denoting a pleasant taste like that of sugar
2. agreeable to the senses or the mind

   sweet music

3. having pleasant manners; gentle

   a sweet child

4. (of wine, etc) having a relatively high sugar content; not dry
5. (of foods) not decaying or rancid

   sweet milk

6. not salty

   sweet water

7. free from unpleasant odours

   sweet air

8. containing no corrosive substances

   sweet soil

9. (of petrol) containing no sulphur compounds
10. sentimental or unrealistic
11. individual; particular

    the electorate went its own sweet way

12. jazz performed with a regular beat, with the emphasis on clearly outlined melody and little improvisation
13. slang.
    satisfactory or in order; all right
14. archaic.
    respected; dear (used in polite forms of address)

    sweet sir

15. smooth and precise; perfectly executed

    a sweet shot

16. sweet on
    fond of or infatuated with
17. keep someone sweet
    to ingratiate oneself in order to ensure cooperation

adverb

1. informal.
   in a sweet manner

noun

1. a sweet taste or smell; sweetness in general
2. often plural any of numerous kinds of confectionery consisting wholly or partly of sugar, esp of sugar boiled and crystallized ( boiled sweets )
3. a pudding, fruit, or any sweet dish served as a dessert
4. dear; sweetheart (used as a form of address)
5. anything that is sweet
6. often plural a pleasurable experience, state, etc

   the sweets of success

7. See sweet potato

Sweet

²

noun

1. SweetHenry18451912MEnglishLANGUAGE: philologist Henry. 1845–1912, English philologist; a pioneer of modern phonetics. His books include A History of English Sounds (1874)

Derived Forms

• ˈsweetish, adjective
• ˈsweetly, adverb
• ˈsweetness, noun

Other Words From

• sweet·ly adverb
• sweet·ness noun
• non·sweet adjective
• o·ver·sweet adjective
• o·ver·sweet·ly adverb
• o·ver·sweet·ness noun
• su·per·sweet adjective
• su·per·sweet·ly adverb
• su·per·sweet·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sweet¹

First recorded before 900; (adjective and adverb) Middle English swet(e), Old English swēte (adjective); (noun) Middle English swet(e), derivative of the adjective; cognate with Old Saxon swōti, Old High German swuozi ( German süss ); akin to Dutch zoet, Old Norse sætr, Gothic suts, Sanskrit svādú-, Greek hēdýs, hādýs “sweet,” Latin suāvis “pleasant” and suādēre “to recommend”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sweet¹

Old English swēte; related to Old Saxon swōti, Old High German suozi, Old Norse sœtr, Latin suādus persuasive, suāvis sweet, Greek hēdus, Sanskrit svādu; see persuade , suave

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sweet on, Informal. infatuated with; in love with:

   He's sweet on her.

2. short and sweet. short and sweet ( def ).

More idioms and phrases containing sweet

• short and sweet
• take the bitter with the sweet

Example Sentences

England are still trying find that sweet spot and master a tricky tactic.

From BBC

You can practically taste the sweet nectar of Middle East peace generated by that decision.

From Los Angeles Times

As we’ve come to expect from PBS children’s programming, the series is funny, sweet, educational and poignant.

From Los Angeles Times

Paxton is a sweet and eager missionary born into the faith; Barnes joined by way of her mother’s conversion and seems a bit more streetwise.

From Los Angeles Times

Pistachios are sold with or without their shells and are available in a range of savory or sweet flavors.

From Salon

Related Words

• candy
• chocolate
• confection
• dessert
• snack