spice
English
Pronunciation
- enPR: spīs, IPA(key): /spaɪs/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -aɪs
Etymology 1
From Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value), from Old French espice (modern épice), an old borrowing from Late Latin speciēs (“spice(s), good(s), ware(s)”), from Latin speciēs (“kind, sort”). Doublet of species.
Noun
spice (countable and uncountable, plural spices)
- (countable, uncountable) Aromatic or pungent plant matter (usually dried) used to season or flavour food.
- (uncountable) The quality of being spicy.
- Synonym: spiciness
- What spice level do you want for your pad thai? I recommend mild.
- (figurative, uncountable) Appeal, interest; an attribute that makes something appealing, interesting, or engaging.
- 1979 April 28, Allen Young, “The Joy of Gay Lit”, in Gay Community News, page 20:
- A 18-year-old high school student who thinks she has it more together than her fellow students and who looks to both Leslie and Bernie to provide friendship and spice in her life.
- (uncountable) A synthetic cannabinoid drug.
- (uncountable, Yorkshire) Sweets, candy.
- (obsolete) Species; kind.
- A characteristic touch or taste; smack; flavour.
- An aromatic odour.
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
- See also Thesaurus:seasoning
Coordinate terms
Derived terms
Related terms
- five-spice powder
- herbs and spices
- spicy tooth
- variety is the spice of life
Translations
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Verb
spice (third-person singular simple present spices, present participle spicing, simple past and past participle spiced)
Related terms
Translations
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Etymology 2
Formed by analogy with lice and mice as the plurals of louse and mouse. First attested use Christopher Morley in “Morley's Magnum” (1935).[1] Made popular by Robert A. Heinlein in Time Enough for Love (1973).
References
- Christopher Morley. (n.d.). AZQuotes.com. Retrieved February 01, 2019, from AZQuotes.com Web site: https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1325627
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024), “spice”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Latin
Lower Sorbian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈspʲit͡sɛ/, [ˈspʲit͡sə]
Adjective
spice
- inflection of spicy:
- neuter nominative/accusative singular
- nominative/accusative plural
Participle
spice
- inflection of spicy:
- neuter nominative/accusative singular
- nominative/accusative plural
Middle English
Etymology
From Old French espice, (modern épice), an old borrowing from Late Latin speciēs.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈspiːs(ə)/
Noun
spice (plural spices)
- spices (powders used to flavour meals or dishes):
- Spices as used as scents or to enhance the smell of something.
- Spices as used in medicinal preparations; by extension, medicine in general.
- Spices as used in alchemical preparations.
- A variety, sort, or kind of something:
- A distinct kind of creature; a species.
- A type of disease or affliction.
- A type of sinful behaviour or action; an action or behaviour in general.
- A part, especially of a discipline or line of study.
- A seeming or presence; the way something looks from the outside:
- (philosophy) The perception of something using any sense or innate ability.
- (Christianity) The communion wafer when transubstantiated.
- (rare) An appearance or image (either mental or real)
- A meal (usually sweet) incorporating spices.
- A plant which spices are made from.
- (rare) A complimentary appellation.
Descendants
- Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)
- Lua error in Module:utilities at line 142: attempt to perform arithmetic on local 'h' (a nil value)
References
- “spīce, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-24.
- “spīce, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-24.