caramelize

Other spellings

• (UK) caramelise

Word parts

caramel + -ize

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈkar(ə)məlʌɪz/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form caramelize

Third-person singular caramelizes

Past tense caramelized

Past participle caramelized

Present participle caramelizing

1. (cooking) (transitive) If you caramelize sugar, you convert it into caramel.
2. (cooking) (transitive) If you caramelize sugar, you brown it by using heat.

   Slowly cooking the onions will caramelize them, which brings out the sweetness and gives them a brown color.

Related words

• caramel
• caramelization/caramelisation