# spicy tooth

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/spicy-tooth
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A liking for foods that are spicy.

## Examples

- I have a spicy tooth, so I love hot sauce.
- Because she has a spicy tooth, she always orders the hottest curry on the menu.
- Despite his refined palate, his well-known spicy tooth often leads him to seek out the most pungent peppers in the market.

## Origin

Formed by analogy with the much older *sweet tooth*, the expression replicates the structure of the earlier idiom to indicate a preference for pungent or piquantly seasoned food. While the parent phrase *sweet tooth* dates to the late 14th century, this variation is a modern derivation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.