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 life—
William Cowper
William Cowper3
: a pungent or fragrant odor : perfume
spiced; spicing
1
: to season with spices
2
: to add zest or relish to
cynicism spiced with humor—J. W. Dawson
—often used with up
J. W. DawsonSynonyms
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 WebThe 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
See all Example Sentences for spice 
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
See all Example Sentences for spice
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.
Dictionary Entries Near spice
Cite this Entry
“Spice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spice. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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