Word: sweet Part of Speech: adj Etymology: Etymology tree 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 From Middle English soot, sweete, swete, swoote, from Old English swēte, swoete, swōt, swœ̄te (“sweet”), from Proto-West Germanic *swōtī, from Proto-Germanic *swōtuz (“sweet”), from Proto-Indo-European *swéh₂dus (“sweet”), from *sweh₂d- (“sweet”) + *-us. Cognates Cognate with Yola sweet (“sweet”), Saterland Frisian swäit (“sweet”), West Frisian swiet (“sweet”), Alemannic German süeß (“sweet”), Bavarian siaß (“sweet; cute”), Central Franconian söß (“sweet”), Dutch zoet (“sweet”), German süss, süß (“sweet; cute”), Limburgish söüt (“sweet; cute”), Low German seut, sööt (“sweet”), Luxembourgish séiss (“sweet”), Vilamovian ziss (“sweet”), Yiddish זיס (zis, “sweet; cute”), Danish sød (“sweet; cute, pretty”), Faroese søtur (“sweet”), Icelandic sætur (“sweet; cute, pretty”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk søt (“sweet; cute”), Swedish söt (“sweet; cute”); also Latin suāvis (“delicious, pleasant, sweet”), Ancient Greek ἡδύς (hēdús, “sweet; pleasant; glad, pleased”), Albanian shije (“flavour, taste”), Lithuanian sūdyti (“to add salt; to brine, souse”), Armenian քաղցր (kʻaġcʻr, “sweet”), Tocharian A swār (“sweet”), Tocharian B swāre (“sweet, tender”), Sanskrit स्वादु (svādú, “delicious, palatable, savoury, sweet, tasty; dainty, delicate”). Doublet of suave. Pronunciation: /swiːt/, /swit/ 1. Tasting of sugars. Example: a sweet apple Example: A few types of molecules get sensed by receptors on the tongue. Protons coming off of acids ping receptors for "sour." Sugars get received as "sweet." Bitter, salty, and the proteinaceous flavor umami all set off their own neural cascades. 2. Retaining a portion of sugar. Example: Sweet wines are better dessert wines. 3. Not of a salty taste. Example: sweet butter 4. Having a pleasant smell; fragrant. Example: a sweet scent Example: Though the breath of these flowers is sweet to me, / I will give them all back again. 5. Not decaying, fermented, rancid, sour, spoiled, or stale. Example: sweet milk 6. Of a pleasant sound. Example: a sweet tune Example: Smooth jazz music has sweet drum beats and cymbals! 7. Of a pleasing disposition. Example: a sweet child Example: It was sweet of her to send some roses for her unwell grandmother. 8. Of a helpful disposition. Example: It was sweet of him to help out. 9. Free from excessive unwanted substances like acid or sulphur. Example: sweet gas Example: sweet soil 10. Very pleasing; agreeable. Labels: informal Example: The new Lexus was a sweet birthday gift. Example: Her crew knew that deep in her heart beat engines fit and able to push her blunt old nose ahead at a sweet fourteen knots, come Hell or high water. 11. Doing well; in a good or happy position. Labels: Australia, slang Example: "Visit in two days though," said Tommo. "Hang in there mate, got a joey coming, we'll be sweet then." 12. Romantically fixated; enamored with; fond of. Labels: informal Example: The attraction was mutual and instant; they were sweet on one another from first sight. 13. Fresh; not salt or brackish. Example: sweet water Example: The white of an egg, or blood mingled with salt water, doth gather the saltness and maketh the water sweeter; this may be by adhesion. 14. Alkaline. Labels: UK, dated 15. Pleasing to the eye; beautiful; mild and attractive; fair. Example: a sweet face Example: a sweet colour or complexion 16. An intensifier. Example: For someone who hadn't seen her only sister in over twenty years, Alice sure took her sweet time.