noun
licorice
LIH-k-rihsh
Licorice (noun) means a plant whose root has a strong, sweet flavour, or the flavour itself used in candy and other products. Example: “She loves the taste of black licorice.”
noun
1
A plant whose root has a strong, sweet flavour, or the flavour itself used in candy and other products.
"She loves the taste of black licorice."
"The tea was flavoured with licorice root."
2
A chewy candy made from licorice root extract.
"He bought a bag of red licorice at the cinema."
How to use licorice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA plant root with a distinctive sweet flavour, or candy made from it.
UK vs US
British English usually spells it "liquorice"; American English uses "licorice."
Common pairings
black licorice
licorice root
licorice candy
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Word forms
- Plural
- licorices
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She loves the taste of black _____.
Etymology
From Old French licoresse, from Late Latin liquiritia, itself a garbled form of Ancient Greek glukúrrhiza, literally "sweet root."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for licorice
See all rhymes for licorice →Frequently asked questions
What does “licorice” mean?
The word “licorice” means a plant whose root has a strong, sweet flavour, or the flavour itself used in candy and other products. In plain terms, a plant root with a distinctive sweet flavour, or candy made from it.
How do you pronounce “licorice”?
“Licorice” is pronounced LIH-k-rihsh (/ˈlɪ.k(ə).ɹɪʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “licorice” in a sentence?
Here is “licorice” used in a sentence: “She loves the taste of black licorice.”
What part of speech is “licorice”?
“Licorice” is a noun.
Where does the word “licorice” come from?
The word “licorice” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French licoresse, from Late Latin liquiritia, itself a garbled form of Ancient Greek glukúrrhiza, literally "sweet root.".
How many meanings does “licorice” have?
“Licorice” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a plant whose root has a strong, sweet flavour, or the flavour itself used in candy and other products.
