alphenic

From French alphénic, alfénic, from Spanish alfeñique, from Arabic الفَانِيد‎ (al-fānīd), from Persian پانید‎ (pānid, “sugar candy”), Sanskrit फाणित (phāṇita, “condensed sugarcane juice”).

alphenic (plural alphenics)

1. (medicine, rare) White barley sugar.
   • 1881, I.M.L.W., The bag of gold:

     There was Patella — wise as any owl — promising to cure me with his "Alphenic" ; but him I quickly showed the door; for here (laying his hand on the book), in here, I found this learned word is Arabic for sugar-candy!

   • 1980, Tien-kung-kai-wu, page 189:

     The white sugar, or alphenic, is its best quality.

   • 2016, John McQuaid, Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat, page 114:

     A popular Arab treatment for the common cold was al fanad or al panad, small sugar twists made from congealed syrup, which became known in English as alphenics or penides.

• alphenic in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

• cephalin