Reglisse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of confection made from the root of a plant, characterized by its strong, sweet flavor often found in candy and herbal remedies
2. A botanical extract derived from the Glycyrrhiza glabra plant, widely known for its distinctive taste and various culinary uses
3. A sweet, aromatic ingredient commonly used in desserts and beverages, valued for its unique flavor profile and health benefits

Etymology: The sweetness in this word's ancestry comes from ancient Greek, where the plant was called "glykyrrhiza," literally "sweet root," from "glykys" (sweet) and "rhiza" (root). Its Latin descendant, "liquiritia," was altered over the centuries into forms that look unrelated to sugar. Medieval Latin and Old French gave us "regaliz," and the modern French form was likely reshaped by association with "regalis," meaning royal, though the exact path is not fully settled. The English "liquorice" tells a similar story of misdirection. Its spelling was influenced by "liquor" and "liquid," and it appears to have been reshaped in English to suggest a liquid, even though the plant's sweetness comes from its root, not from any juice. The name thus carries the Greek idea of a sweet root through several languages, each one bending the sound toward a more familiar word.

Synonyms: licorice