spicy
Americanadjective
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spicier,
comparative
-
spiciest
superlative
-
seasoned with or containing spice.
a spicy salad dressing.
-
characteristic or suggestive of spice.
-
of the nature of or resembling spice.
-
abounding in or yielding spices.
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aromatic or fragrant.
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piquant or pungent.
spicy criticism.
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of a slightly improper or risqué nature; somewhat sexy.
a spicy novel.
- Synonyms:
- improper, ribald, racy, suggestive
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Informal. full of spirit; lively.
adjective
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seasoned with or containing spice
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highly flavoured; pungent
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informal suggestive of scandal or sensation
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producing or yielding spices
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of spicy
Explanation
Spicy things have a sharp, strong, pungent flavor. Hot chili peppers—and food that's made with them—are notoriously spicy. People who don't like spicy food might be hesitant to try an Indian, Thai, or Mexican restaurant, since the cuisines of those countries are known for being spicy. But if you love the way curries tingle on your tongue, then you're a fan of spicy dishes. Spicy is also used to mean "exciting but vulgar or inappropriate," like a spicy joke that's not suitable for school.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
For the first time in years, his chai wasn’t a sweet treat with a luscious, spicy taste.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Even when the tomatoes are gone and the bread stall is picked clean, you can usually find some jar of something sharp, spicy and brined: giardiniera, hot peppers, spicy dills, pickled carrots.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Spicy, sweet and curiously chewy, Chinese latiao -- literally "spicy strips" -- are made by cooking wheat flour dough at a high temperature and pressure.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The recall includes products such as pico de gallo salsa, several types of guacamole, burritos, spicy sandwiches and fresh sliced jalapenos.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
South Indian food is so spicy it burns on the way out, but it’s worth it.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Tea companies say they’re benefiting from those seeking a spicier, more full-bodied drink.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Dave’s Hot Chicken has adopted a similar premise for its spicier entry into the market, but for many Caniacs, nothing beats the stripped-down glory of the original.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
The protester, Seth Todd, responded with a joke, saying he had tasted "spicier tamales".
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2025
“Good Mythical Morning,” a daily show hosted by YouTube personalities Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, and Sean Evans’ talk show “Hot Ones,” where celebrity guests eat progressively spicier chicken wings, are also eligible for Emmys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2025
When he cometh, I shall shed, From this wellspring in my head, Fountain-drop of spicier worth Than all vintage of the earth.
From Poems Household Edition by Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The spice level on this album is high,” Swift said, as Fallon confirmed, “It’s the spiciest yet.”
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2025
One of the spiciest dishes I’ve ever tasted was at Jitlada and they have a competition surrounding it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2024
Sept. 20, Mullenweg hosted a session that he previewed as being “one of my spiciest WordCamp presentations ever.”
From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2024
While its timebound and still stately — there’s no interrupting the largely pre-written statements usually delivered by a low-level diplomat — it’s still generally the spiciest the General Debate gets.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2023
Julia’s now redder than the spiciest hot wings.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
