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liquorice

American  
[lik-uh-rish, lik-rish, lik-er-is] / ˈlɪk ə rɪʃ, ˈlɪk rɪʃ, ˈlɪk ər ɪs /

noun

Chiefly British.
  1. a variant of licorice.


liquorice British  
/ -ərɪʃ, ˈlɪkərɪs /

noun

  1. a perennial Mediterranean leguminous shrub, Glycyrrhiza glabra, having spikes of pale blue flowers and flat red-brown pods

  2. the dried root of this plant, used as a laxative and in confectionery

  3. a sweet having a liquorice flavour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of liquorice

C13: via Anglo-Norman and Old French from Late Latin liquirītia, from Latin glycyrrhīza, from Greek glukurrhiza, from glukus sweet + rhiza root

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.

He refused to comment to the PA news agency, saying he was busy eating a liquorice sweet.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2024

It is known that large amounts of liquorice cause high blood pressure.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

"Our results give reason to be more cautious when it comes to recommendations and labelling for food containing liquorice," says Fredrik Nyström, professor at the same department, who was responsible for the study.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

The levels of both of these decreased when eating liquorice.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024

You sucked the sherbet up through the straw and when it was finished you ate the liquorice.

From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl

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