spice

1 of 2

noun

ˈspīs How to pronounce spice (audio)
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
ˈspīs-ləs How to pronounce spice (audio)
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

Synonyms

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
The wine exhibits blackberry, plum, and a hint of spice with a smooth, polished finish. — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 Turmeric Turmeric is a spice that contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory. — Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
The playfulness kicks in when George and Kathryn invite the other suspects over for a dinner spiced with garlic and truth serum. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025 Vibe By California Edible Aphrodisiacs: Cooking Up Romance with Cannabis Why not spice up your culinary adventures by combining cannabis with traditional aphrodisiac ingredients? — Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025 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

Phrases Containing spice

Rhymes for spice

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Browse Nearby Words

spice
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Cite this Entry

“Spice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spice. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

spice

1 of 2 noun
ˈspīs How to pronounce spice (audio)
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

Nglish: Translation of spice for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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