sweet
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
Via Middle English swete, sweete, from Old English swēte, from Proto-Germanic *swōtuz, from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂d-. Compare West Frisian swiet, Low German sööt, Dutch zoet, German süß, Danish sød.
Pronunciation [edit]
Adjective [edit]
sweet (comparative sweeter, superlative sweetest)
- Having a pleasant taste, especially one relating to the basic taste sensation induced by sugar.
- Having a taste of sugar.
- Containing a sweetening ingredient.
- (wine) Retaining a portion of sugar.
- Sweet wines are better dessert wines.
- Not having a salty taste.
- sweet butter
- 1821, Robert Thomas, The modern practice of physic
- Nothing has been found so effectual for preserving water sweet at sea, during long voyages, as charring the insides of the casks well before they are filled.
- Having a pleasant smell.
- a sweet scent
- Not decaying, fermented, rancid, sour, spoiled, or stale.
- sweet milk
- Having a pleasant sound.
- a sweet tune
- a sweet voice
- Having a pleasing disposition.
- a sweet child
- Having a helpful disposition.
- It was sweet of him to help out.
- (mineralogy) Free from excessive unwanted substances like acid or sulphur.
- sweet soil
- sweet crude oil
- (informal) Very pleasing; agreeable.
- The new Lexus was a sweet birthday gift.
- (informal, followed by on) Romantically fixated, enamored (followed by with), fond (followed by of).
- The attraction was mutual and instant; they were sweet on one another from first sight.
Synonyms [edit]
- (having a taste of sugar): saccharine, sugary
- (containing a sweetening ingredient): sugared, sweetened
- (not having a salty taste): fresh, unsalty
- (having a pleasant smell): fragrant, odoriferous, odorous, perfumed, scented, sweet-scented, sweet-smelling
- (not decaying, fermented, rancid, sour, spoiled, or stale): fresh, unfermented, wholesome
- (having a pleasant sound): dulcet, honeyed, mellifluous, mellisonant
- (having a pleasing disposition): cute, lovable, pleasant
- (having a helpful disposition): kind, gracious, helpful, sensitive, thoughtful
- ((informal) very pleasing): rad, awesome, wicked
Antonyms [edit]
- (having a pleasant taste): bitter, sour, salty
- (containing a sweetening ingredient): nonsweet, sugarless, unsugared, unsweetened
- (of wines: retaining a portion of natural sugar): dry
- (not decaying, fermented, rancid, sour, spoiled, or stale): decaying, fermented, rancid, sour, spoiled, stale
- (not having a salty taste): salty, savoury
- (free from excessive unwanted substances): sour
- ((informal) very pleasing): lame, uncool
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from sweet (adjective)
Translations [edit]
having a pleasant taste
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having a taste of sugar
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containing a sweetening ingredient
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of a wine: retaining a portion of sugar
not having a salty taste
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having a pleasant smell
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not decaying, rancid, sour, spoiled, or stale
having a pleasant sound
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having a pleasing disposition
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having a helpful disposition
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free from excessive unwanted substances
colloquial, very good
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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Usage notes [edit]
- Also used as a positive response to good news or information: They're making a sequel? Ah, sweet!
Adverb [edit]
sweet (comparative more sweet, superlative most sweet)
- In a sweet manner.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
Synonyms [edit]
- (in a sweet manner): sweetly
Translations [edit]
in a sweet manner
Noun [edit]
sweet (countable and uncountable; plural sweets)
- (uncountable) The basic taste sensation induced by sugar.
- (countable, UK) A confection made from sugar, or high in sugar content; a candy.
- (countable, UK) A food eaten for dessert.
- Can we see the sweet menu, please?
- sweetheart
Synonyms [edit]
- (sweet taste sensation): See sweetness
- (food that is high in sugar content): bonbon, candy (US), confection, confectionery, lolly (Australia)
- (food eaten for dessert): See dessert
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
basic taste sensation induced by sugar — see sweetness
sugary confection
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food eaten for dessert — see dessert
sweetheart — see sweetheart
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
Statistics [edit]
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Most common English words before 1923: wrote · chief · company · #605: sweet · duty · heavy · single
Anagrams [edit]
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms with homophones
- English adjectives
- en:Wine
- en:Mineralogy
- English informal terms
- English adverbs
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- British English
- 1000 English basic words
- en:Smell
- en:Taste