Molasses, or black treacle (British, for human consumption; known as molasses otherwise), is a viscous by-product of the refining of sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. The word comes from the Proto-Indo-European *mélid". Cognates include Ancient Greek μέλι (méli) (honey), Latin mel, Portuguese melaço. Molasses varies by amount of sugar and method of extraction, and age of plant.Sweet sorghum syrup may be colloquially called "sorghum molasses" in the American South.