Which term best describes the water in a sugar-water solution?

In a sugar-water solution (syrup), the water is called the solvent and the sugar is called the solute. By definition, a solvent is a substance (usually a liquid) that dissolves a solute, forming a solution.

Some examples of solutions (solute + solvent):

Salt + water = saline solution

Sugar + water = syrup

(Sodium chloride + sodium lactate + potassium chloride + calcium chloride) + water = lactated Ringer's solution