# candy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkæn.di/ · frequency rank #4,352

## Definitions
1. Crystallized sugar formed by boiling down sugar syrup.
2. Edible, sweet-tasting confectionery containing sugar, or sometimes artificial sweeteners, and often flavored with fruit, chocolate, nuts, herbs and spices, or artificial flavors.
3. A piece of confectionery of this kind.
4. crack cocaine.
5. An accessory (bracelet, etc.) made from pony beads, associated with the rave scene.

## Etymology
From Middle English sugre candy, from Old French sucre candi (literally “candied sugar”), from Arabic سُكَّر قَنْدِي (sukkar qandī), from Arabic قَنْد (qand, “rock candy”), from Persian کند (kand) from Sanskrit खण्ड (khaṇḍa, “piece, fragment, candied sugar, dried molasses”), root खण्ड् (khaṇḍ, “to divide, break into pieces”), or from Proto-Dravidian *kaṇṭu; compare Tamil கண்டு (kaṇṭu, “hard candy”).

## Easily confused with
- **cay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cay)
- **card** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-card)
- **cant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cant)
- **cans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cans)
- **Cody** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cody)
- **cane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cane)
- **Cary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cary)
- **cond** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cond)
- **cuny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cuny)
- **carry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-carry)
- **cards** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cards)
- **canon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-canon)
- **Casey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-casey)
- **Carey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-carey)
- **condo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-condo)
- **Cindy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cindy)
- **Cathy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-cathy)
- **canoe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-canoe)
- **Carly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-carly)
- **canes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/candy-vs-canes)

## Common misspellings (8)
`acndy`, `cadny`, `canddy`, `candyy`, `canndy`, `canyd`, `ccandy`, `cnady`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/candy