candyman

See also: candy-man and candy man

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English candy

Proto-Indo-European *mon-

Proto-Germanic *mann-

Proto-West Germanic *mann

Old English mann

Middle English man

Middle English -man

English -man

English candyman

From candy + -man.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Australia):

  (file)

Noun

candyman (plural candymen)

1. A male confectioner.
   • 1989, Laurie Fullerton, Tony Wheeler, North-East Asia on a Shoestring:

     Near the entrance is a candyman who makes butterflies, birds and fish from melted sugar.

2. (slang) A male drug dealer.
   • 1987, Marc Olden, Gaijin:

     He was on the payroll as Marvin Movie Star's candyman, his drug connection.

   • 2002, Elizabeth George, A Traitor to Memory:

     This bloke looked just like a candyman with his expensive togs and the glitter of a gold watch in the lights from the car park.

Translations

male confectioner

• Esperanto: konfitisto
• French: confiseur (fr) m
• Hungarian: cukrász (hu)
• Maltese: dolċier
• Spanish: confitero (es) m

drug dealer

• Estonian: narkotsimüüja
• French: dealer (fr) m