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Glite Dictionary
sweet taffy

sweet taffy

2.7
A chewy candy made from sugar and butter that people pull and stretch
  • noun
  • /swit ˈtæfi/
  • US
translation icon : caramelo masticable
  • The beachside shop sold brightly colored sweet taffy in dozens of flavors.

Examples

  • She handed out pieces of sweet taffy to the children after the parade.

  • I always get sweet taffy when I visit the amusement park.

  • I love sweet taffy!

  • The sweet taffy was delicious.

  • The beachside shop sold brightly colored sweet taffy in dozens of flavors.

  • She handed out pieces of sweet taffy to the children after the parade.

  • I always get sweet taffy when I visit the amusement park.

Synonyms

candy
vssweet taffy
  • US
863 1.0

A small sweet made from sugar, often with chocolate or nuts

is a specific chewy pulled form, not any sugar-made sweet
sweet
vssweet taffy
69 1.0

A small sugary food eaten after a meal

is a specific chewy pulled sweet, not a general dessert term
taffy
vssweet taffy
  • US
16 4.2

A soft, chewy candy made by boiling and pulling sugar

focuses on sugar, flavorings, and sometimes butter rather than only preparation
confection
vssweet taffy
8 3.7

Sweet food like candy or a small cake

is the everyday pulled chewy sweet, not the formal pastry term
sweetmeat
vssweet taffy
  • Archaic
3 8.8

A small sweet food like candy or fruit covered in sugar eaten as a treat

is the pulled chewy sweet rather than a preserved sugary treat
chewie
vssweet taffy
  • UK
1 8.7

A small soft candy that you chew

is the specific pulled chewy candy rather than an informal nickname
molasses taffy
vssweet taffy
  • US
5.8

A chewy candy made from molasses

is broader, not limited to molasses as main ingredient
sweetling
vssweet taffy
  • Archaic
7.4

A small piece of candy or chocolate

is a specific chewy pulled sweet, not merely a small treat

How Chewy

gummy
32 1.0
sweet taffy
  • US
2.7
caramel
37 1.3
hard candy
  • US
7 1.0

Surface Forms

sweet taffy singular
sweet taffies plural

Morphology

sweet + taffy

The meaning is directly derived from the adjective + noun composition: 'sweet' (having a sugary taste) modifying 'taffy' (a chewy candy), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to taffy that is sweet. This is a transparent, compositional pattern common across languages and requires no idiomatic knowledge.

Etymology

Sweet taffy comes from the way the candy is made: cooks heat sugar and then pull it again and again until it is shiny and chewy. So, taffy became a name for that soft, stretched candy and 'sweet taffy' means that chewy treat.