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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 notes

In 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

Word forms

licorices plural

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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."

Origin: Ancient Greek

Related words

Rhymes for licorice

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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.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial