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Glite Dictionary
candyfloss

candyfloss

1 2.9
A light fluffy sweet made from spun sugar at fairs
  • noun
  • /ˈkændiˌflɔs/
  • UK
translation icon : algodón de azúcar

Examples

  • They're using candyfloss packaging to cover up a toxic waste dump.

    They Live (1988)

  • I'm broke, on probation, I ain't got no skills, I quit my job at a candyfloss stall and I'm bludging off my best friend's parents because my mum left town and didn't tell me where she was going.

    Daddy's Girl (2006)

  • One moment you're lost in a carnival of delight, childhood aromas, the flashing neon of puberty, all that sentimental candyfloss.

    Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)

  • At the fair, children excitedly reached for the bright pink candyfloss spinning on the machine.

  • The candyfloss at the carnival tasted just like memories of my childhood summer days.

  • She bought a large cone of candyfloss to enjoy while watching the parade.

Synonyms

cotton candy
vscandyfloss
  • US
25 1.0

A light, fluffy sweet made from spun sugar on a stick

is the British name rather than the American name
spun sugar
vscandyfloss
1 4.6

Thin threads made from boiled sugar to decorate cakes

is the fluffy fairground snack version served on a stick

How Fluffy

candyfloss
  • UK
1 2.9
marshmallow
106 1.0

Surface Forms

candyfloss singular
candyflosses plural
cotton candies plural
cotton candy singular

Morphology

candyfloss = candy + floss (transparent) = candy + floss

The word is a straightforward compound of 'candy' + 'floss' meaning threads or fine filaments made of candy, a meaning that is directly inferable from its parts.

Etymology

Candyfloss comes from the parts candy and floss, where floss means 'thread' or 'tuft'. The name gives a clear image: hot sugar is spun into thin threads like dental 'floss' or a 'cotton' cloud, which is why candyfloss is the light, fluffy sweet you buy at fairs.