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caramel apple

caramel apple

4 1.3
An apple covered in caramel and held on a stick as a sweet treat
  • noun
  • /ˈkærəˌmɛl ˈæpəl/
  • US
translation icon : manzana de caramelo
  • At the state fair, we bought a caramel apple covered in nuts.
  • make caramel apples
  • mini caramel apple
  • dipped caramel apple

Examples

  • After lunch, he treated himself to a caramel apple from the vendor.

  • I am eating a caramel apple.

  • Today is free caramel apple day.

  • We're making caramel apples later.

  • Two caramel apples waited on a square piece of wax paper in the kitchen.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • I grew up in a Halloween-loving household, where we carved pumpkins every year, roasted pumpkin seeds, and made caramel apples.

    Blog text (3)
  • She enjoyed a caramel apple while walking through the fall festival.

Synonyms

candy apple
vscaramel apple
  • US
3 3.1

An apple covered in a hard shiny sugar coating

is coated in a softer sticky sugar layer rather than a hard shell
toffee apple
vscaramel apple
  • UK
1 3.0

An apple covered in hard sweet sugar on a stick that you eat as a treat

is coated in a softer sticky sugar layer rather than a hard shell
candied apple
vscaramel apple
  • US
1 2.9

An apple covered in a hard layer of sugar and served on a stick

is coated in a softer sticky sugar layer rather than a hard shell
taffy apple
vscaramel apple
  • US
1 5.8

An apple covered in hard sweet candy on a stick

is coated in a softer sticky sugar layer rather than a hard shell

How Sweet

candied apple
  • US
1 2.9
caramel apple
  • US
4 1.3
apple
583 1.0

Surface Forms

caramel apple singular

Morphology

caramel + apple

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from the constituents: caramel (sweet brown sugar) + apple (the fruit) clearly indicates an apple coated with caramel. This noun–noun compounding is a common and literal formation found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand it.

Etymology

Caramel apple comes from the clear picture of a whole apple on a stick dipped in warm, brown caramel, leaving a shiny, sticky coat. That's why it means 'an apple covered in caramel' and is used for the sweet treat often sold at fairs and in autumn.