Spicy

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈspaɪsi/

Definitions

1. Having a strong, pungent flavor or aroma characteristic of pepper, chili, or other hot seasonings
2. Characterized by a sharp and piquant flavor that often comes from various hot ingredients like peppers or seasonings
3. Exhibiting a bold and hot flavor profile typically derived from ingredients such as chili peppers or spices

Etymology: "Spicy" is a simple formation: the noun "spice" with the adjective-forming suffix "-y," which English has attached to nouns since Old English to mean "full of" or "having the quality of," as in "frosty" or "milky." The suffix came down through Old English "-ig," and the base it attached to is "spice," which reached English through Anglo-Norman and Old French "espice" from Late Latin "species," meaning a kind of merchandise or goods, and originally simply a sort of thing or kind. Medieval traders used the plural of this word for the costly aromatic goods they carried from the East, and that commercial sense narrowed to the pungent, flavoring substances we now call spices. "Spicy" itself is first attested in the 16th century, when English speakers used it for food and drink that had been seasoned with these aromatic ingredients. The flavor sense of "hot" that dominates today came later, as pepper and chili-based dishes became common, and the word's meaning shifted toward heat and piquancy.

Synonyms: hot, zesty, piquant, seasoned, flavored

Antonyms: bland, mild, insipid