1. A thick, sweet, sticky liquid, consisting of a sugar base, natural or artificial flavorings, and water.
2. The juice of a fruit or plant boiled with sugar until thick and sticky.
3. A concentrated solution of sugar in water, often used as a vehicle for medicine.

[Middle English sirup, from Old French sirop, from Medieval Latin siropus, from Arabic šarāb, from šariba, to drink.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.