spice

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See also: Spice, SPICE, spíce, and špice

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • enPR: spīs, IPA(key): /spaɪs/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪs

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English spice, 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[edit]

spice (countable and uncountable, plural spices)

  1. (countable, uncountable) Aromatic or pungent plant matter (usually dried) used to season or flavour food.
  2. (uncountable) The quality of being spicy.
    Synonym: spiciness
    What spice level do you want for your pad thai? I recommend mild.
  3. (figurative, uncountable) Appeal, interest; an attribute that makes something appealing, interesting, or engaging.
    variety is the spice of life
  4. (uncountable) A synthetic cannabinoid drug.
  5. (uncountable, Yorkshire) Sweets, candy.
  6. (obsolete) Species; kind.
  7. A characteristic touch or taste; smack; flavour.
  8. An aromatic odour.
Hypernyms[edit]
Hyponyms[edit]
Coordinate terms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
Yorkshire dialect: sweets, candy — see sweet,‎ candy

Verb[edit]

spice (third-person singular simple present spices, present participle spicing, simple past and past participle spiced)

  1. (transitive) To add spice or spices to; season.
  2. (transitive) To spice up.
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

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).

Noun[edit]

spice

  1. (nonce word, usually humorous) plural of spouse

References[edit]

  1. ^ Christopher Morley. (n.d.). AZQuotes.com. Retrieved February 01, 2019, from AZQuotes.com Web site: https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1325627

Anagrams[edit]

Latin[edit]

Verb[edit]

spice

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of spiciō

Lower Sorbian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈspʲit͡sɛ/, [ˈspʲit͡sə]

Adjective[edit]

spice

  1. inflection of spicy:
    1. neuter nominative/accusative singular
    2. nominative/accusative plural

Participle[edit]

spice

  1. inflection of spicy:
    1. neuter nominative/accusative singular
    2. nominative/accusative plural

Middle English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old French espice, (modern épice), an old borrowing from Late Latin speciēs.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

spice (plural spices)

  1. spices (powders used to flavour meals or dishes):
    1. Spices as used as scents or to enhance the smell of something.
    2. Spices as used in medicinal preparations; by extension, medicine in general.
    3. Spices as used in alchemical preparations.
  2. A variety, sort, or kind of something:
    1. A distinct kind of creature; a species.
    2. A type of disease or affliction.
    3. A type of sinful behaviour or action; an action or behaviour in general.
    4. A part, especially of a discipline or line of study.
  3. A seeming or presence; the way something looks from the outside:
    1. (philosophy) The perception of something using any sense or innate ability.
    2. (Christianity) The communion wafer when transubstantiated.
    3. (rare) An appearance or image (either mental or real)
  4. A meal (usually sweet) incorporating spices.
  5. A plant which spices are made from.
  6. (rare) A complimentary appellation.

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • English: spice
  • Scots: spice

References[edit]

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