The Middle English word candy began to be used in the late 13th century, coming into English from the Old French çucre candi, derived in turn from Persian Qand (=قند) and Qandi (=قندی), "cane sugar", probably derived from Sanskrit word khanda (खण्ड) "piece (of sugar)", perhaps from Dravidian (cf. Tamil kantu for candy, or kattu "to harden, condense").