candy

¹ American  

[kan-dee] / ˈkæn di /

noun

plural

candies

1. any of a variety of confections made with sugar, syrup, etc., often combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, etc.

2. a single piece of such a confection.

3. Slang. cocaine.

4. someone or something that is pleasing or pleasurable, usually in a superficial way (often used in combination).

   The show is candy, but enjoy it for what it is.

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verb (used with object)

candied, candying

1. to cook in sugar or syrup, as sweet potatoes or carrots.

2. to cook in heavy syrup until transparent, as fruit, fruit peel, or ginger.

3. to reduce (sugar, syrup, etc.) to a crystalline form, usually by boiling down.

4. to coat with sugar.

   to candy dates.

5. to make sweet, palatable, or agreeable.

verb (used without object)

candied, candying

1. to become covered with sugar.

2. to crystallize into sugar.

Candy ² American  

[kan-dee] / ˈkæn di /

noun

1. a female given name.

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candy British  

/ ˈkændɪ /

noun

1. confectionery in general; sweets, chocolate, etc

2. a person or thing that is regarded as being attractive but superficial

   arm candy

3. informal very easy to accomplish

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verb

1. to cause (sugar, etc) to become crystalline, esp by boiling or (of sugar) to become crystalline through boiling

2. to preserve (fruit peel, ginger, etc) by boiling in sugar

3. to cover with any crystalline substance, such as ice or sugar

Other Word Forms

• candylike adjective

Etymology

Origin of candy

1225–75; Middle English candi, sugre candi candied sugar < Middle French sucre candi; candi ≪ Arabic qandī < Persian qandi sugar < Sanskrit khaṇḍakaḥ sugar candy

Example Sentences

Rubino says she’s aiming to economize as much as possible — and that means everything from buying lower-priced candy in bulk to reusing baskets from previous Easters.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

And for candy and a range of other basket-filling items, shoppers are also turning to discount outlets.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

“And what’s the most popular candy bar today? Same as ever,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

David Lamparelli, a second-generation candy maker, says the company produces about 90,000 pounds of Irish potatoes between December and March, with peak production reaching up to 75,000 candies a day.

From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

Rowdy followed me and watched while I filled the sack with gumdrops, jawbreakers, peppermint sticks, and horehound candy.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• sweet