caramelize

American

[kar-uh-muh-lahyz, kahr-muh-] / ˈkær ə məˌlaɪz, ˈkɑr mə- /

especially British, caramelise

verb (used with or without object)

caramelized, caramelizing

to convert or be converted into caramel.

caramelize British

/ ˈkærəməˌlaɪz /

verb

to convert or be converted into caramel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

caramelization noun
uncaramelized adjective

Etymology

Origin of caramelize

First recorded in 1720–30; caramel + -ize

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The breadcrumb shards that blackened and caramelized at the edges of the sheet pan.

From Salon

I roast the vegetables until they slump and caramelize.

From Salon

Roast for about 30 minutes or until the edges are brown and caramelized.

From Salon

Shredded raw red cabbage and roasted sweet potato coins, caramelized at the edges.

From Salon

Lotus’s caramelized cookies are a ubiquitous traditional treat back home in Belgium, where they have long been known as speculoos.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023