# caramel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkæ.ɹəˌmɛl/ · frequency rank #15,360

## Definitions
1. A smooth, chewy, sticky confection made by heating sugar and other ingredients until the sugars polymerize and become sticky.
2. A (sometimes hardened) piece of this confection.
3. A yellow-brown color, like that of caramel.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French caramel, from Spanish caramelo, from Portuguese caramelo, dissimilated from Late Latin calamellus, diminutive of calamus (“reed”) (and a doublet of chalumeau and shawm). Alternatively from Medieval Latin cannamellis, which is a compound of canna + mellis.

## Easily confused with
- **Carmen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caramel-vs-carmen)
- **cartel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caramel-vs-cartel)
- **Carmel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caramel-vs-carmel)
- **Cramer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caramel-vs-cramer)
- **camel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/camel-vs-caramel)

## Common misspellings (10)
`acramel`, `caarmel`, `caraeml`, `caramell`, `caramle`, `carammel`, `carmael`, `carramel`, `ccaramel`, `craamel`

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