candy

candy — noun

1. a type of sweet food whose main ingredient is sugar, often mixed with flavorings

1.nounA2
Definition

a type of sweet food whose main ingredient is sugar, often mixed with flavorings, fruit, or chocolate — each individual item is simply called a candy or a candy bar

Example

The children each got a piece of candy after finishing their vegetables.

uncountable: 'a piece of candy' for individual items

Leila handed out colorful candies to everyone at the birthday party.

countable plural: 'candies' for individual pieces

Common collocations
  • piece of candy
  • hard candy
  • candy bar
  • candy store
  • bag of candy
Synonyms
  • sweet

    British English term for candy; used in the UK, Australia, and NZ

  • confectionery

    more formal term covering all sweet items including candy, chocolate, and gum

  • lollipop

    a specific type of candy on a stick, not a general synonym

Grammar Patterns

candy (uncountable, general substance)

a candy / candies (countable, individual pieces)

Usage Note

In American English, 'candy' is the general word for sweet confections. In British English, the equivalent is 'sweets.' The countable form 'a candy' or 'candies' typically refers to individually wrapped pieces.

Common Mistakes

I bought a candy for my sister.' (when referring to an unwrapped type like chocolate)
I bought a piece of candy for my sister.
Use 'a piece of candy' when referring to one item from a larger amount of unwrapped sweets.
Idioms

be like taking candy from a baby

idiom

Used to say that something is extremely easy to do.

For Maya, solving that math problem was like taking candy from a baby.

Winning the game against the weak team was like taking candy from a baby.

candy — verb

Word family

  • candied
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Candy' (American English) and 'sweet' (British English) are the most common everyday terms for sugar-based treats. 'Candy' covers everything from hard candies and lollipops to candy bars and gummy sweets. 'Sweet' is the direct British equivalent but also has a broader use in phrases like 'pudding' or 'dessert.' 'Confectionery' is more formal and encompasses candy, chocolate, gum, and other sweet products — you are more likely to see it on a shop sign or a product label than in casual conversation. 'Chocolate' overlaps when used as a treat (a chocolate bar is a type of candy/sweet), but chocolate as an ingredient (baking chocolate, cocoa) is not candy. For everyday use, stick with 'candy' in the US and 'sweets' in the UK. For example: an American child asks for 'candy' at Halloween; a British child asks for 'sweets.'

candy ↗sweet ↗confectionerychocolate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • candy store
  • candy bar
  • candy wrapper
  • candy dish
  • candy aisle

Phrases

  • piece of candy
  • bag of candy
  • box of candy

Etymology

PersianArabicOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'candy' comes from the Persian word 'qand' (قند), meaning sugar, which traveled through Arabic 'qandī' (قندي, sugared) into Old French 'sucre candi' (candied sugar). By the 18th century, English speakers had shortened 'sugar candy' to just 'candy,' and the noun sense expanded from the sugar itself to any sweet confection made with it. The verb sense — to coat or cook with sugar — came from the same French source in the 16th century.