spice

1 of 2

noun

1
: any of various aromatic vegetable products (such as pepper or nutmeg) used to season or flavor foods
2
a
archaic : a small portion, quantity, or admixture : dash
b
: something that gives zest or relish
variety's the very spice of lifeWilliam Cowper
3
: a pungent or fragrant odor : perfume
spiceless adjective

spice

2 of 2

verb

spiced; spicing

transitive verb

1
: to season with spices
2
: to add zest or relish to
cynicism spiced with humorJ. W. Dawson
often used with up

Examples of spice in a Sentence

Noun The soup needs a little more spice. a cologne for men that captures all of the spice of the sea Verb I spiced the chicken with ginger. spice the stew with more pepper
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Supporting character Child adds spice to this story — but don’t expect recipes. The Know, The Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2024 There are homemade cookies, pastries and fudge, pickled quail eggs, candied jalapenos, barbecue spices and sauces, and walls of beef jerky and candy. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2024 Its mild flavor quickly absorbs the taste of spices and other ingredients called for in recipes. Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024 For Kad, Indian food is more than just cream and ghee and a liberal use of spices. The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024 The sepals of the deep pink flowers are steeped with soul-warming spices and sugar to make a heady, floral refresher. Saveur Editors, Saveur, 11 Apr. 2024 Founder Jing Gao and her team also makes an excellent nuanced Mala spice for dusting proteins and Zhong sauce for dipping dumplings and more. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024 The dense seeds require a good amount of seasoning, so don’t be shy with your spices and aromatics. Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024 If counter space is scarce, look no further than your refrigerator for a new place to store spices. Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
And, there's also some subtle color-blocking happening on the outsoles to help spice up your favorite travel outfits. Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024 Tweens can watch movies with the family, play video games with friends, or watch the game on Sundays in an innovative way that’s sure to spice up any gathering. Deanna McCormack, Parents, 19 Mar. 2024 So keep scrolling to browse more like hers to spice up your outfit for any occasion. Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 After an agonizingly long shortage, Sriracha lovers relished the news that the wildly popular Huy Fong Foods rooster bottles were reappearing on grocery store shelves and restaurant tables to once again spice up steaming bowls of pho and ramen. Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024 So, spice things up, the pastabilities are endless. Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024 For example, combos are performed with a single button, with some charge and directional attacks to spice things up. PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024 At the 2024 Super Bowl, Taylor Swift amped up her ponytail with a braid along the side of her head, while Lana Condor spiced up her Paris Fashion Week look with two face-framing twists. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 To spice things up, Bass had switched over to the Backstreet Boys team, while McLean played alongside the guys of *NSYNC. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French espece, espis, from Late Latin species product, wares, drugs, spices, from Latin, appearance, species — more at species

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spice was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near spice

Cite this Entry

“Spice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spice. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

spice

1 of 2 noun
1
: a plant product (as pepper or nutmeg) that has a strong pleasant smell and is used to season or flavor food
2
: something that adds interest
variety is the spice of life
3
: a fragrant odor : perfume

spice

2 of 2 verb
spiced; spicing
: to season with or as if with spices

More from Merriam-Webster on spice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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