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Origin and history of molasses

molasses(n.)

"uncrystallized syrup produced in the manufacture of sugar," 1580s, from Portuguese melaço, from Late Latin mellaceum "new wine," properly neuter of mellaceus "resembling honey," from Latin mel (genitive mellis) "honey" (from PIE root *melit- "honey"). Adopted in English in plural form and generally remaining so, but regarded as a singular noun.

also from 1580s

Entries linking to molasses

*melit-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "honey."

It might form all or part of: caramel; marmalade; Melissa; mellifluous; mildew; molasses; mousse.

It might also be the source of: Greek meli, Latin mel "honey; sweetness;" Albanian mjal' "honey;" Old Irish mil "honey," Irish milis "sweet;" Old English mildeaw "nectar," milisc "honeyed, sweet;" Old High German milsken "to sweeten;" Gothic miliþ "honey."

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    Trends of molasses

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

    More to explore

    taffy
    coarse candy made from sugar or molasses boiled down and cooled, 1817, related to toffee, but of uncertain origin; perhaps...associated with tafia (1763), a rum-like alcoholic liquor distilled from molasses, presumably of West Indian or Malay (Austronesian...
    treacle
    The sense of "molasses" is recorded from 1690s (the connection may be from the use of molasses as a laxative, or its use...
    enchilada
    An enchilada looks not unlike an ordinary flannel cake rolled on itself and covered with molasses....
    candy
    A candy-pull (1865) was a gathering of young people for making (by pulling into the right consistency) and eating molasses...
    rum
    "liquor distilled from the juice of sugar cane or molasses," 1650s, apparently a shortening of rumbullion (1651), rombostion...Rum I take to be the name which unwashed moralists apply alike to the product distilled from molasses and the noblest juices...
    maple
    Maple syrup attested from 1824, American English (earlier maple molasses, 1804)....
    syrup
    late 14c., sirup, "thick, sweet liquid," from Old French sirop "sugared drink" (13c.), and perhaps from Italian siroppo, both from Arabic sharab "beverage, wine," literally "something drunk," from verb shariba "he drank" (compare sherbet). Spanish jarabe, jarope, Old Provençal ei
    planet
    late Old English planete, in old astronomy, "star other than a fixed star; star revolving in an orbit," from Old French planete (Modern French planète) and directly from Late Latin planeta, from Greek planētēs, from (asteres) planētai "wandering (stars)," from planasthai "to wand
    apprehension
    late 14c., "perception, comprehension," from Old French apreension "comprehension, something learned" or directly from Latin apprehensionem (nominative apprehensio) "a seizing upon, laying hold of; understanding," noun of action from past-participle stem of apprehendere "take hol
    obedience
    c. 1200, "the practice or virtue of submission to a higher power or authority;" late 14c., "dutiful compliance with a command or law," from Old French obedience "obedience, submission" (12c.), from Latin oboedientia "obedience," abstract noun from oboedientem (nominative oboedien

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    Dictionary entries near molasses
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