# sugar

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈʃʊɡ.ə/ · frequency rank #2,132

## Definitions
1. Sucrose in the form of small crystals, obtained from sugar cane or sugar beet and used to sweeten food and drink.
2. A specific variety of sugar.
3. Any of various small carbohydrates that are used by organisms to store energy.
4. A small serving of this substance (typically about one teaspoon), used to sweeten a drink.
5. A term of endearment.
6. Affection shown by kisses or kissing.
7. Effeminacy in a male, often implying homosexuality.
8. Diabetes.
9. Anything resembling sugar in taste or appearance, especially in chemistry.
10. Compliment or flattery used to disguise or render acceptable something obnoxious; honeyed or soothing words.
11. Heroin.
12. Money.
13. Syntactic sugar.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *ḱorkeh₂
Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćárkaraH
Proto-Indo-Aryan *śárkaraH
Sanskrit शर्क॑रा (śárkarā)
Gandhari 𐨭𐨐𐨪 (śakara)bor.
Middle Persian 𐭱𐭪𐭥 (šakar)bor.
Arabic سُكَّر (sukkar)bor.
Old Italian zuccherobor.
Old French çucrebor.
Middle English sugre
English sugar
Inherited from Middle English sugre, borrowed from Old French çucre, borrowed from Old Italian zucchero, borrowed from Arabic سُكَّر (sukkar), borrowed from Middle Persian 𐭱𐭪𐭥 (šakar), borrowed from Gandhari 𐨭𐨐𐨪 (śakara), from Sanskrit शर्क॑रा (śárkarā), from Proto-Indo-Aryan *śárkaraH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćárkaraH, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱorkeh₂ (“gravel”). Akin to Ancient Greek κρόκη (krókē, “pebble”), whence the words crocodile and krokodil are derived. Doublet of jaggery and sucro-.
The verb is from Middle English sugren, from the noun.

## Easily confused with
- **sura** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sugar-vs-sura)
- **super** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sugar-vs-super)
- **swear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sugar-vs-swear)
- **Susan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sugar-vs-susan)
- **sugary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sugar-vs-sugary)
- **Sar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sar-vs-sugar)
- **star** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/star-vs-sugar)
- **saga** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saga-vs-sugar)
- **scar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scar-vs-sugar)
- **soar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/soar-vs-sugar)
- **Sega** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sega-vs-sugar)
- **spar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spar-vs-sugar)
- **sear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sear-vs-sugar)
- **Suga** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/suga-vs-sugar)
- **solar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solar-vs-sugar)
- **Sudan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sudan-vs-sugar)
- **spear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spear-vs-sugar)
- **smear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smear-vs-sugar)
- **shear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shear-vs-sugar)
- **sonar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sonar-vs-sugar)

## Common misspellings (7)
`sguar`, `ssugar`, `suagr`, `sugarr`, `suggar`, `sugra`, `usgar`

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