licorice
English edit
Alternative forms edit
- liquorice (Britain, Ireland, India) (See the usage notes below)
Etymology edit
From Middle English lycorys, from Old French licoresse, from Late Latin liquiritia, alteration of Ancient Greek γλυκύρριζα (glukúrrhiza): γλυκύς (glukús, “sweet”) + ῥίζα (rhíza, “root”) (English glucose, English rhizome). Doublet of glycyrrhiza.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
licorice (usually uncountable, plural licorices)
- (countable) The plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, or sometimes in North America, the related American Licorice plant Glycyrrhiza lepidota.
- (uncountable) A type of candy made from that plant's dried root or its extract.
- Synonym: (Scotland, informal) sugarallie
- (countable and uncountable) A black colour, named after the licorice.
- licorice:
- (uncountable, chemistry) A flavouring agent made from dried root portions of the aforementioned plant.
- (uncountable) A supposed aphrodisiac made in the past from dried roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Glycyrrhiza echinata.
Usage notes edit
The American spelling is nearer the Old French source licorece, which is ultimately from Ancient Greek γλυκύρριζα (glukúrrhiza).[1] The British spelling was influenced by the unrelated word liquor.[2] Licorice prevails in Canada and it is common in Australia, but it is rarely found in the UK. Liquorice is all but nonexistent in the US ("Chiefly British", according to dictionaries).[3]
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
plant
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confection
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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See also edit
References edit
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024), “licorice”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
- ^ Ernout, Alfred; Meillet, Antoine (2001) Dictionnaire etymologique de la langue latine, Paris: Klincksieck, →ISBN, page 362
- ^ Peters, p. 321.
Further reading edit
Middle English edit
Noun edit
licorice
- Alternative form of lycorys