caramelized
/ˈkær.ə.mə.laɪzd/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Caramelized food has been cooked until its sugars turn brown and sweet. It often tastes richer and has a deeper flavour.
- I added caramelized onions to the burger.
- The caramelized sugar gave the dessert a deep flavour.
- She loves caramelized bananas on toast.
Adinary Nuance
Caramelized is close to browned, but it suggests sweetness too. Use browned for colour only, and caramelized when sugar has cooked and tastes sweet. In cooking, caramelized sounds more specific and more appealing than simply browned.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- được caramen hóa
- Spanish
- caramelizado
- Chinese
- 焦糖化的
- Japanese
- キャラメル化した
- Korean
- 캐러멜화한
Etymology
Caramelized comes from caramel, which entered English from French in the 18th century. The verb form developed from the cooking idea of turning sugar into caramel.
Common phrases
caramelized onionscaramelized sugarcaramelized bananascaramelized crust
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is caramelized the same as browned?
- Not exactly. Browned means cooked until brown. Caramelized means browned through sugar cooking, so it also tastes sweet.
- Is caramelized used in everyday English?
- Yes, especially in cooking. You will often see it on menus and recipe instructions.
- How do I use caramelized in a sentence?
- Use it before a food noun, like “caramelized onions” or “caramelized apples.”
- Is caramelized formal or informal?
- It is neutral and common in food writing, recipes, and restaurant menus.