semisweet

English

Alternative forms

• semi-sweet

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *sem-

Proto-Indo-European *sēmi

Latin sēmi-bor.

English semi-

Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂d-

Proto-Indo-European *-us

Proto-Indo-European *swéh₂dus

Proto-Germanic *swōtuz

Proto-Germanic *-jaz

Proto-West Germanic *-ī

Proto-West Germanic *swōtī

Old English swēte

Middle English swete

English sweet

English semisweet

From semi- + sweet.

Adjective

semisweet (not comparable)

1. Partially sweet or sweetened, but having a distinct bitter component.

   semisweet chocolate

2. (wine) Containing some residual sugars that complement the acidity and other flavor components but which do not dominate.

   Synonym: medium sweet

   Coordinate term: medium dry

Translations

oenology

• Dutch: halfzoet
• Finnish: puolimakea (fi)
• Polish: półsłodki (pl)

Further reading

• “semisweet”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “semisweet” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “semi-sweet”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.