spice
n. C / Un. a powder or seed from a plant that you add to food to give it a special flavor. You can also use this word to describe something that makes life more exciting or interesting.
n. an aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to season or flavour food. Often used figuratively to refer to an element that adds interest, excitement, or variety to a situation.
I like to add a little spice to my soup.
The chef uses a secret blend of spice to give the grilled chicken its unique smoky flavor.
While the core plot of the novel is quite standard, the author adds enough narrative spice through witty dialogue to keep the reader engaged until the final chapter.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *speḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti Proto-Italic *spekjō Late Latin speciō Proto-Italic *-jēs Late Latin -iēs Late Latin speciēs Old French espicebor. Anglo-Norman specebor. Middle English spice English spice Inherited from Middle English spice, from Old French espice (modern épice), from Late Latin speciēs (“spice, good, ware”), from Latin speciēs (“kind, sort”). Doublet of species.
Formed by analogy with lice and mice as the plurals of louse and mouse. First attested use Christopher Morley in “Morley's Magnum” (1935). Made popular by Robert A. Heinlein in Time Enough for Love (1973).
Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific types or varieties.
this food has too many spicesthis food has too much spiceWhen referring to the general heat or flavor level of a dish, use the uncountable form 'spice' with 'much'.