lycorys

Middle English

Alternative forms

• licoresse, licorice, licoriȝs, licoris, licorys, licoryse, likorys, liquirice, lycoresse, lycorice

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French licoresse, from Late Latin liquiritia, from Ancient Greek γλυκύρριζα (glukúrrhiza). Some forms are or have been influenced by licour or its etymons.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌlikuˈriːs/, /ˈlikuris/

Noun

lycorys (uncountable)

1. Liquorice root (the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra)
   • a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knight's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, lines 3690–3691:

     But first he cheweth greyn and lycorys / To smellen sweete, er he hadde kembd his heer.

     Though first he chews spices and licorice, / To smell sweet before he'd combed his hair.

2. Liquorice (the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Descendants

• English: licorice, liquorice
• Scots: liquorie

References

• “licorī̆s, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-28.