I could tell that she was sweet for the boy down the street.Īs you can see above, “sweet” can be used to describe much more than taste. The sunshine felt sweet on my face today, the first day of Spring.Ģ. Here are a few sample sentences where “sweet” is used to refer to a variety of different concepts:ġ. You can smell sweet if you are wearing a pleasant scent or perfume, describe a sound as sweet if the melody is pleasing to the ear, and even the weather has been referred to as sweet on a beautiful, warm summer day. There are other interpretations of sweet as well, but they all center on human senses or feelings, whether taste, smell, or emotion. In later iterations of Old English, the word could also refer to freshwater as opposed to saltwater.īut it wasn’t until the late 1600s that we’d find the word used to refer to a person’s feelings for another, as in “He was sweet on her,” which essentially reflects romantic feelings between two people. In the mid-13 th century, “sweet” referred to a person who was found to be in a wholesome state. And in all languages, the word can and does refer to more than how something tastes. In today’s English, as well as other languages, the most common meaning for the word “sweet” is simple - pleasant, agreeable, or pleasurable. The same holds true today - spelling in English can be complicated and confusing. Rather, words were constructed phonetically, based on sound, and changed both over time and geographically. Interestingly, and part of the reason for some confusion when determining correct spellings in English, spelling was never really standardized. Over time, the English alphabet developed as an adaptation and adoption of aspects of Latin. Old English refers to the oldest and earliest recorded form of the English language ( source). It also meant to have a pleasing disposition or character.
Spelled quite differently than what we see today, the Old English spelling was “ swete,” and simply meant pleasing to the senses, mind, or feelings ( source).
The word “sweet” found its origin in Old English and is over 5,000 years old. Words and Meanings: the History and Meaning of Sweet Continue reading to learn more about the history of the word “sweet,” what “sweetie” means, and why we should avoid using it in certain instances. It is important to understand cultural nuances when words have multiple interpretations.
Certain words, such as “sweetie,” can have multiple applications and meanings. The adjective “sweet” refers to something sweet-tasting, but it can also be written as a noun - an affectionate term of endearment spelled “sweetie” or “sweety.” The word is most commonly spelled with an “ie” rather than a “y,” though both are considered correct. Unfortunately, there are not always grammatical rules that can easily be memorized and applied. English spellings can quickly become confusing, especially when certain words can be spelled more than one way.
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