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See more synonyms for candied on Thesaurus.com
  1. impregnated or incrusted with or as if with sugar: candied ginger.
  2. prepared by cooking in sugar or syrup: candied yams.
  3. honeyed; flattering: candied words.
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Origin of candied

First recorded in 1590–1600; candy + -ed3
Related formsun·can·died, adjective


noun, plural can·dies.
  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. See also arm candy, ear candy, eye candy.
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verb (used with object), can·died, can·dy·ing.
  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.
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verb (used without object), can·died, can·dy·ing.
  1. to become covered with sugar.
  2. to crystallize into sugar.
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Origin of candy

1225–75; Middle English candi, sugre candi candied sugar < Middle French sucre candi; candiArabic qandī < Persian qandi sugar < Sanskrit khaṇḍakaḥ sugar candy
Related formscan·dy·like, adjective

Related Words


Examples from the Web for candied

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Historical Examples

British Dictionary definitions for candied


  1. impregnated or encrusted with or as if with sugar or syrupcandied peel
  2. (of sugar, honey, etc) crystallized
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noun plural -dies
  1. mainly US and Canadian confectionery in general; sweets, chocolate, etc
  2. a person or thing that is regarded as being attractive but superficialarm candy
  3. like taking candy from a baby informal very easy to accomplish
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verb -dies, -dying or -died
  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
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Word Origin

C18: from Old French sucre candi candied sugar, from Arabic qandi candied, from qand cane sugar, of Dravidian origin

Word Origin and History for candied


c.1600, past participle adjective from candy (v.).

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1530s, from candy (n.). Related: Candied; candying.

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late 13c., "crystalized sugar," from Old French çucre candi "sugar candy," ultimately from Arabic qandi, from Persian qand "cane sugar," probably from Sanskrit khanda "piece (of sugar)," perhaps from Dravidian (cf. Tamil kantu "candy," kattu "to harden, condense").

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper