Molasses is a thick, dark syrup made from sugar cane. While known across the U.S., in Southern and Appalachian kitchens it was a staple sweetener, poured on biscuits, stirred in beans, and remembered in the saying "slower than molasses in January."
★ In Appalachian talk, molasses was shortened to "’lasses." People also contrasted it with **sorghum** - a lighter, homemade syrup often called "sorghum molasses." ★
Origin and Etymology
From Portuguese "melaço," meaning syrup. Brought into English in the 1500s. By the 1800s, molasses was a kitchen staple in the South and Appalachia, sweetening foods before refined sugar was common.
Usage Notes
Still known everywhere, but strongest in memory in rural Southern and Appalachian kitchens. The phrase "slower than molasses in January" remains one of the most common figurative uses.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "muh-lass-iz." Drawn out a little in mountain talk: "’lasses."
From boiled sugar cane juice - often the byproduct of sugar refining.
What’s the difference between molasses and sorghum?
Molasses is cane-based; sorghum is made from sorghum cane. Southerners often used both.
Why "molasses in January"?
Because the cold made it extra thick and slow to pour - a colorful way to say something’s moving slow.
How to Cite This Page
APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 4). Molasses. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/molasses
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Molasses." HillbillySlang.com, 4 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/molasses.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Molasses." HillbillySlang.com. September 4, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/molasses.
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Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
'Molasses' was common growin' up, but not nearly as much now. 
