spice

1 of 2

noun

plural spices
Synonyms of spicenext
1
: a plant product (such as pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, or ginger) that is used to season or flavor foods and is usually comprised of seeds, fruits, bark, or rhizomes that have been dried and typically ground
2
a
archaic : a small portion, quantity, or admixture : dash
b
: something that gives zest or relish
Variety's the very spice of life …William Cowper
3
: a pungent or fragrant odor : perfume
spiceless adjective
spiceless food

spice

2 of 2

verb

spiced; spicing

transitive verb

1
: to season with spices
2
: to add zest or relish to
… cynicism spiced with humor.J. 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Peppers followed, along with a healthy sprinkling of spices. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026 The underlying whiskey blend shows its character with some herbaceousness, with touches of barrel char, cocoa powder, and rye-forward spice to keep things from veering too much into luscious fruity territory. David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
Verb
The sauce is generously spiced and perfectly savory. Peter St. Onge updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026 The ultimate luxury swimwear brand for poolside minimalists, Araks keeps its high-quality bikinis and one-piece suits relatively unadorned, opting to spice up its designs with contrasting piping and clever darting over flashier add-ons like fringe or bling. Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spice

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spice. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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

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