Jellybeans

/ˈdʒɛlibiːnz/ noun

Definition

Small, bean-shaped candies with a firm sugar coating on the outside and a soft jelly center.

Etymology

Combination of 'jelly' (from French 'gelée', meaning gel) and 'bean' (their shape); originated in America in the 1860s, combining the British jelly sweet tradition with bean-like form.

Kelly Says

Jellybeans were originally Turkish confections sold to the wealthy in 17th-century Europe, but Americans democratized them in the 1800s—Ronald Reagan later made a bowl his signature desk accessory, turning candy into Cold War symbolism.

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