WordGarden.iosyrup
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɪrʌp/
US
- /ˈsɜrəp/
Meanings
Noun
a thick sweet liquid used in drinks, desserts, or as a topping
a liquid medicine with a sweet base, especially for coughs
(slang)codeine-based cough syrup or a similar syrup used as a recreational drug
Beyond the definition
Syrup is best known as the sweet, sticky liquid you pour on pancakes, but it is not only a breakfast topping. It is a thick liquid, usually made with sugar, that is used to add sweetness or flavor. Maple syrup comes from maple trees, and other kinds can be made from corn, fruit, or sugar.
The word is also common in medicine. Cough syrup, for example, is a sweet liquid medicine that helps make the treatment easier to take. So when you hear "syrup," think of something thick, sweet, and slow-moving that is often used in food or medicine.
Syrup is a thick liquid, usually sweet, that is often made by mixing or boiling sugar with water. Many people first think of maple syrup on pancakes or waffles, but the word has a wider use. It can refer to many kinds of sweet liquids used in food, drinks, and medicine. The word comes from an old root linked to drinking liquids, which fits its long history well.
Some syrups are natural, such as maple syrup collected from maple trees. Others are made during cooking or food processing, such as corn syrup, golden syrup, or fruit syrup. In everyday life, syrup may be used as a topping, a sweetener, or a flavoring in desserts, coffee drinks, and recipes.
The word is also common in medicine. A cough syrup is a liquid medicine with a thick, sweet base, often made so that it tastes better and is easier to swallow. For a long time, sweet liquid mixtures were used to carry medicine in a form people could take more easily.
Sometimes people also use related forms such as "syrupy" in a figurative way to describe something overly sweet, rich, or sentimental. But most of the time, "syrup" simply means a sweet, thick liquid used in food or medicine.
Examples
- 1
Breakfast
She poured maple syrup over her pancakes.
- 2
Iced coffee
I usually add a little caramel syrup to my iced coffee.
- 3
Canned fruit
These peaches are packed in syrup, so they're very sweet.
- Phrasepacked in syrup
sold in a can or jar with syrup around them
- 4
Medicine
The nurse said to take the cough syrup before bed.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Baking
The baker brushed the warm cake with lemon syrup to keep it moist.
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- syrupnoun
Forms
- syrupspluralnoun