spice
Americannoun
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any of a class of pungent or aromatic substances of vegetable origin, as pepper, cinnamon, or cloves, used as seasoning, preservatives, etc.
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such substances collectively or as material.
Cookies without spice can be tasteless.
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a spicy or aromatic odor or fragrance.
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something that gives zest.
a spice of humor in his solemnity.
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a piquant, interesting element or quality; zest; piquancy.
The anecdotes lent spice to her talk.
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Archaic. a small quantity of something; trace; bit.
verb (used with object)
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to prepare or season with a spice or spices.
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to give zest, piquancy, or interest to by something added.
noun
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any of a variety of aromatic vegetable substances, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, used as flavourings
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these substances collectively
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something that represents or introduces zest, charm, or gusto
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rare a small amount
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dialect confectionery
verb
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to prepare or flavour (food) with spices
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to introduce charm or zest into
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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spicernoun
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overspiceverb
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respiceverb (used with object)
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spiceableadjective
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spicelessadjective
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spicelikeadjective
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unspicedadjective
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well-spicedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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spicesimple
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spicessimple
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have spicedperfect
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has spicedperfect
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am spicingprogressive
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are spicingprogressive
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is spicingprogressive
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have been spicingperfect progressive
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has been spicingperfect progressive
Past
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spicedsimple
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had spicedperfect
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was spicingprogressive
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were spicingprogressive
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had been spicingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of spice
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English, aphetic form of Old French espice ( French épice ) from Latin speciēs “appearance, sort, kind” ( see species), in Late Latin (plural): “goods, wares, spices, drugs”; (verb) Middle English spicen, in part derivative of the noun, in part from Old French espicer, derivative of espice
Explanation
You can spice up your meal with chili powder — or you can spice up your room with a disco ball! Spice is usually a flavoring for food, but you can add spice to other things by jazzing them up. Spices make your food more interesting and flavorful. Something that increases the excitement in other parts of life can also be called spice, like when the rivalry between two basketball players adds spice to the game. You can spice things up when you're telling a story by adding colorful details.
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:
Within the exhibition halls, a bedroom, living room and kitchen -- complete with a glass jug, coffee pot, and spice containers -- recreate details of daily life in the homes of southern Lebanese residents.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
As does his role as founder and owner of La Boîte, a respected spice purveyor with a global network of suppliers that operates out of a warehouse on the west side of Manhattan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
To mark the 30th anniversary of Wannabe, the Spice Girls have shared tributes on social media, with Geri Halliwell posting a throwback photo of the group and thanking her "beautiful spice sisters" and fans.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Some nights I lean toward spice, blooming coriander, cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes alongside frozen ginger and garlic cubes.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
“To add spice to our trip, I suspect,” replied Inigo.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Knowing your flavor packets will help you determine what complementary spices and condiments to add.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
Drizzle them with Nara’s Roasted Garlic Oil from Algae Cooking Club, season with salt, fresh-ground pepper and your favorite spices, then let the fire do the rest.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
This could include adding spices or more pepper, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The imperial economy brings him clothes, pottery, wine, spices and books.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
“The heart, the liver, chunks of meat, rice, spices, and some blood.”
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
The scent of Mexican spiced coffee brewed in a clay pot wafts through the front room.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
Einhorn speed-talked through a presentation spiced up with cartoons and music clips.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
My first foray into the world of spiced yogurts took place inside the local biryani joint just a few miles north of my Maryland hometown.
From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2026
Further along the table, a three-tiered honey cake sits near a wholemeal plum cake with spiced icing, while a Swedish princess cake draws gasps of admiration with its dome of sponge, jam, custard and marzipan.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026
The meat was spiced and fragrant, charred outside and red and juicy within.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Food trends columnist Adam Chandler profiled Lev Sercarz about cooking in this new era of American eating, and received suggestions for the best seasonings—from sumac to smoked salt—for spicing up even the simplest meals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Christine Idzelis shed light on how leveraged exchange-traded funds were spicing up the SpaceX trade in the wake of the company’s IPO, for good and bad.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
There will likely be no vistas of forest canopy, no shaded glens with water cascading through a tapestry of conifers, pine sap spicing the morning air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 28, 2025
You can also try spicing up your vanilla, per Redditor u/shazeaa: “Vanilla bean and some nutmeg to bring on the richness!”
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2025
His mom made instant coffee; she couldn’t be bothered with any other method and never went through the fuss of spicing it.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
