Sweetmaker

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who creates or sells confections and candies, often specializing in sweet treats
2. an artisan involved in the preparation of sugary items, such as chocolates and desserts
3. someone engaged in the craft of designing and producing various sweet delicacies for enjoyment

Etymology: "Sweetmaker" is a plain compound, built from "sweet" and "maker." Its meaning is transparent: a maker of sweets, or candies in American usage. Both parts are old English words, so the term needs no special coinage to explain it. The interest lies in how the two halves combine. "Maker" in this sense is the familiar agent word for someone who produces something, as in "shoemaker" or "cartwright," and "sweet" in the sense of a sugary food has long been a common noun for confections, which is why "sweetmeat" and "sweetshop" follow the same pattern. A sweetmaker is therefore a tradesperson defined by the product, in the same way a "candlemaker" or "saddler" was once named for the goods he made.

Synonyms: confectioner