spicy
Americanadjective
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seasoned with or containing spice.
a spicy salad dressing.
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characteristic or suggestive of spice.
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of the nature of or resembling spice.
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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
- spicily adverb
- spiciness noun
- unspicily adverb
- unspiciness noun
- unspicy adjective
Etymology
Origin of spicy
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.
It smelled of some sort of incense—spicy and sharp, yet strangely pleasant.
From Literature
Amid the debate’s dodging, weaving, yammering and spicy back-and-forth, there were a few moments when the candidates rose above the din.
From Los Angeles Times
Diaz credits social media with sparking a “fervor for really spicy, flavorful food,” and said people are willing to splurge on Caribbean restaurants, since they “travel by eating.”
The finished dumpling — which can be enjoyed as a quick snack or meal — is deliciously pillowy and spicy with a hint of zing.
From Salon
“Was the soup too spicy? The pork too chewy? The cookies too soft?”
From Literature
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.
