n.
- an aromatic or pungent vegetable substance used to flavour food, e.g. pepper.
- an element providing interest and excitement.
- N. English confectionery.
v.
-
[often as adj. spiced]
flavour with spice.
-
(often spice something up)
make more exciting or interesting.
Etymology
ME: shortening of OFr. espice, from L. species ‘sort, kind’, in late L. ‘wares’.