Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
semi-sweet chocolate

semi-sweet chocolate

1 1.8
A type of chocolate that is not very sweet and is good for baking
  • noun
  • /ˈsɛmiˌswit ˈʧɔklət/
  • US
translation icon : chocolate semidulce
  • I make something similar for the holidays every year for my friend's fraternity, but I add a couple of semi-sweet chocolate chips on top!
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • cup of semi-sweet chocolate
  • ounce of semi-sweet chocolate

Examples

  • You like milk chocolate because of the creamy texture; she likes semi-sweet chocolate chips because of the intense chocolate flavor.

    Blog text (15)

  • I am convinced that milk chocolate chips are best for chocolate chip cookies, but she loves semi-sweet chocolate chips in her cookies.

    Blog text (15)

  • Do you think using semi-sweet chocolate chips could cause this problem?

    Blog text (20)

  • Milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips in your cookies?

    Blog text (15)

  • There's always one full of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

    Blog text (6)

  • For the cookies, I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate chips for a balanced flavor.

  • The recipe calls for melting semi-sweet chocolate with butter to create a rich ganache.

  • Many bakers choose semi-sweet chocolate for its ideal sweetness in desserts.

Synonyms

semisweet
vssemi-sweet chocolate
3.4

A taste that is a little sweet and a little bitter, like some chocolate

describes a baking ingredient made with moderate sugar and cocoa components

Antonyms

unsweetened
7 3.0

Does not contain added sugar

bitter chocolate
1 3.2

A very dark chocolate with little or no sugar used for baking and sauces

How Sweet

semi-sweet chocolate
  • US
1 1.8

Surface Forms

semi-sweet chocolate singular
semi-sweet chocolates plural

Morphology

semi-sweet + chocolate

The meaning 'chocolate that is moderately sweet' is directly derivable from combining 'semi' (partly) + 'sweet' (having sugar) with 'chocolate'; the phrase simply describes degree of sweetness. This compositional pattern is regular and cross‑linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Semi-sweet chocolate gets its name from the parts semi and sweet: semi means 'partly' and sweet shows it has sugar. So the name tells you it is only partly sweet, with less sugar than regular sweet chocolate but more than bitter chocolate, which is why bakers often choose it.