WordGarden.iospice
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /spˈaɪs/
US
- /ˈspaɪs/
Meanings
Noun
an aromatic ingredient used to flavor food
an exciting or lively quality that makes something more interesting
(slang)a synthetic cannabinoid sold or used as a drug
Verb
to flavor food with spices
to make something more exciting or interesting
Beyond the definition
Spice is most often something from a plant that is used to give food a stronger, richer taste or smell, like cinnamon in apple pie, chili powder on tacos, or pepper in soup. Long ago, these things were rare and valuable, and people traded them across great distances. The word can also mean something that adds extra interest or excitement. In that sense, it is the small touch that makes something feel more lively and less ordinary.
The word "spice" usually refers to a dried plant part used to flavor, color, or help preserve food. It may come from seeds, bark, roots, fruits, or other parts of a plant. Cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cloves, and cumin are common examples. For many centuries, these goods were precious and widely traded, and they played an important part in travel, business, and cooking around the world.
Today, we still use "spice" mainly in this food sense. You add it to a dish to give it more flavor, smell, heat, or color. A little cinnamon can make oatmeal warmer and sweeter; a bit of paprika can give soup more depth; chili can make a meal hot and bold. In everyday language, the word also has a figurative use. It can mean an extra touch of excitement, energy, or interest in something, such as in a story, an event, or a conversation.
The word often suggests warmth, variety, and vividness. In food, it points to the special ingredient that changes a plain dish into something memorable. In figurative use, it points to whatever makes an experience feel brighter or more alive. So, whether you are talking about cooking or about life in a broader sense, "spice" is the thing that adds color and interest.
Examples
- 1
Cooking ingredient
Saffron is an expensive spice.
- 2
Market shopping
She bought several spices at the market for the curry.
- 3
Flavor
Just a little spice can completely change the flavor of a soup.
- 4
Figurative interest
Her sense of humor adds spice to long family dinners.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Event planning
They brought in live music to spice up the event.
- Phrasespice up
make something more exciting or interesting
- 6
Life advice
"Variety is the spice of life," my grandmother always says.
- Phrasevariety is the spice of life
different experiences make life more interesting
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- spicenounverb
Forms
- spicespluralnounverb
- spicedpast tenseverbnoun
- spicing-ing formverbnoun