- candy
- late 13c., from O.Fr. sucre candi "sugar candy," from Arabic qandi, from Pers. qand "cane sugar," probably from Skt. khanda "piece (of sugar)," perhaps from Dravidian (cf. Tamil kantu "candy," kattu "to harden, condense"). Eye-candy "attractive woman on a TV show, etc." is recorded by 1978, based on a metaphor also found in nose candy "cocaine" (1930). Candyass is from 1950s; candy-striper is 1960s, so called from design of her uniform.