What does molasses mean?
Molasses is a thick, dark, sticky syrup made during the refining of sugar, particularly from sugarcane, and sometimes from sorghum. It is a byproduct rather than the principal sugar product, and its flavor is richer and more distinctive than that of ordinary syrup. In cooking, molasses is used in foods such as cookies, breads, taffy, sauces, and desserts, and it also appears in beverages and in some traditional remedies. The British term "treacle" can refer to a lighter syrup, while "black treacle" often means molasses; American usage more frequently treats "treacle" as another name for molasses. As a mass noun, it is normally used without a plural, except in unusual quantified contexts. Molasses is especially associated with traditional baking, New England cuisine, and the deep color and complex taste of gingerbread and rye bread. Its unusual history as a manufacturing byproduct, combined with its unmistakable flavor, makes it a useful example of how ordinary words can preserve the history of agriculture and food production.
nounMolasses is a thick, dark, sticky syrup obtained as a byproduct of sugar refining, especially from sugarcane. It is also made from sorghum and is valued for its strong, distinctive flavor.
- A thick, dark, sticky syrup produced during the refining of sugarcane or sorghum, especially as a byproduct of sugar manufacture.
"She spooned warm molasses over the pancakes before serving them."
"The recipe calls for a tablespoon of molasses and a pinch of ground ginger."
"Molasses gives traditional rye bread its characteristic dark color and deep flavor."
The plural is uncommon and appears mainly in quantified or literary contexts; "molasses" is normally used as a mass noun.
"The old recipe called for small masses of molasses mixed with warm water."
What began as the sticky byproduct of sugar refining became one of the world's most distinctive sweeteners.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does molasses come from?
English borrowed "molasses" in the early 17th century from Portuguese melaço, a term for the syrup produced in sugar refining. The Portuguese word is associated with mel, meaning "honey," and ultimately points to Latin mel, the source of related forms such as mellow and mellifluous. French mélasse and Spanish melaza are cognates that developed through the same broad tradition of Romance terminology for concentrated sugar syrup.
How molasses is actually used
Molasses is generally used as an uncountable mass noun, though plural forms such as "masses" occur in quantified or literary contexts. In British English, "treacle" may denote a light syrup, while "black treacle" can mean molasses; in American English, "treacle" is often used for molasses itself. The word commonly carries associations of warmth, tradition, and a strong, somewhat bitter flavor.
Easily confused with molasses
Molasses is the dark, concentrated byproduct of sugar refining, whereas treacle can mean a lighter sugar syrup in British usage or molasses in American usage.