Gummies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of chewy candy made with gelatin, often shaped like fruits or animals
2. They may contain dietary supplements, appealing especially to children and adults
3. Often used to provide a fun and flavorful way to consume vitamins or other nutrients

Etymology: "Gummies" is the plural of "gummy," which English formed by adding the suffix "-y" to "gum." The adjective-forming "-y" turns a substance into something having its qualities, so "gummy" meant sticky or clinging, like gum. The noun sense for the candy came later, and it was shaped by the German "gummi," which means rubber or gum, the same root that gave the word its gelatin-based sense. The base word "gum" has two sources in English. One refers to the flesh around the teeth, and the other to a sticky substance exuded by plants. The candy term draws on the substance sense, so a gummy bear is named for the stickiness of its gelatin body rather than for anything to do with teeth. The shared spelling conceals two separate lines of meaning that happened to meet in one word.

Synonyms: chewy candies, gelatin candies, gummy bears, jelly candies, soft candies