Caramel
early 18th century: from French, from Spanish caramelo .
wiktionary
Borrowed from French caramel, from Spanish caramelo, from Portuguese caramelo, dissimilated from Late Latin calamellus, diminutive of calamus(“reed”) (and therefore a doublet of chalumeau and shawm), from Ancient Greek κᾰ́λᾰμος(kálamos), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱolh₂mos. Alternatively from Medieval Latin cannamellis, which is either a compound of canna + mellis.
etymonline
caramel (n.)
1725, "burnt sugar," from French caramel "burnt sugar" (17c.), from Old Spanish caramel (modern caramelo), which is of uncertain origin, probably ultimately from Medieval Latin cannamellis, which is traditionally from Latin canna (see cane (n.)) + mellis, genitive of mel "honey" (from PIE root *melit- "honey"). But some give the Medieval Latin word an Arabic origin, or trace it to Latin calamus "reed, cane."
The word was being used by 1884 of a dark-colored creamy candy and by 1909 as a color-name.
