licorice

American  

[lik-er-ish, lik-rish, lik-uh-ris] / ˈlɪk ər ɪʃ, ˈlɪk rɪʃ, ˈlɪk ə rɪs /

especially British, liquorice

noun

1. a Eurasian plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra, of the legume family.

2. the sweet-tasting, dried root of this plant or an extract made from it, used in medicine, confectionery, etc.

3. a candy flavored with licorice root.

4. any of various related or similar plants.

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licorice British  

/ ˈlɪkərɪs /

noun

1. the usual US and Canadian spelling of liquorice

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Etymology

Origin of licorice

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English lycorys, from Anglo-French, from unattested Vulgar Latin liquiritia for Latin glycyrrhiza, from Greek glykýrrhiza “sweetroot (plant),” equivalent to glyký(s) “sweet” + rhíza “root”; see root ¹, -ia

Explanation

If you've ever had a long, sweet, chewy, black candy, you've probably had licorice. This is a common type of candy made from the dried roots of the licorice plant. Licorice is a blue-flowered plant from the Mediterranean region. Its long roots are used to make candy also known as licorice. People have been eating licorice for so long that you can find people comparing sweet things to licorice as far back as the 1300's. The licorice plant is known for its blue flowers and compound leaves, though it's the long roots beneath the surface that are so delicious.

Example Sentences

The young dancers are dressed as various types of English licorice and they make their entrance from a giant box of licorice allsorts.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2025

She started London Borough of Jam in her home; raspberry jam with licorice was the first offering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

The tonka bean’s robust scent comes from the presence of coumarin, a naturally occurring organic compound that’s also found in Cassia cinnamon and some licorice roots.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

The company initially began as a small family licorice business and has since branched out into several varieties of confections.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024

Velvet and licorice caressing every sense; it melts into a liquid you plunge through; it evaporates into air that you breathe.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman