licorice
Americannoun
-
a Eurasian plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra, of the legume family.
-
the sweet-tasting, dried root of this plant or an extract made from it, used in medicine, confectionery, etc.
-
a candy flavored with licorice root.
-
any of various related or similar plants.
noun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing licorice
Red
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Black and Gray
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
His only other Bafta came for best original screenplay for coming-of-age drama Licorice Pizza in 2022.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026
Director Paul Thomas Anderson, affectionately known as PTA, has never won an Oscar, despite 11 career nominations for films such as Phantom Thread, Licorice Pizza and There Will Be Blood.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026
Nearly all of his previous films - including Licorice Pizza, Phantom Thread and There Will Be Blood - have scored several Oscar nominations, but none has ever won him best picture or best director.
From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025
“I met my first girlfriend, my first band mates, learned about imports, and learned about music at Licorice Pizza.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2024
Licorice was just another thing that my aunt and I would never see eye to eye on.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
