licorice

[ lik-er-ish, lik-rish, lik-uh-ris ]

noun

1. a Eurasian plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra, of the legume family.
2. the sweet-tasting, dried root of this plant or an extract made from it, used in medicine, confectionery, etc.
3. a candy flavored with licorice root.
4. any of various related or similar plants.

licorice

/ ˈlɪkərɪs /

noun

1. the usual US and Canadian spelling of liquorice

Word History and Origins

Origin of licorice¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English lycorys, from Anglo-French, from unattested Vulgar Latin liquiritia for Latin glycyrrhiza, from Greek glykýrrhiza “sweetroot (plant),” equivalent to glyký(s) “sweet” + rhíza “root”; root ¹, -ia

Example Sentences

The concoction was flavored with honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice and grapes, which were commonly used to make the beverage look like blood.

From Science Daily

The company initially began as a small family licorice business and has since branched out into several varieties of confections.

From Salon

Across town in a downtown warehouse, the Licorice Pizza vinyl pressing factory is humming with the loud industrial sounds of a single SMT machine.

From Los Angeles Times

“The whole ecosystem of Licorice Pizza is right here,” Brown says happily, spinning a disc of translucent vinyl in his hands.

From Los Angeles Times

Now comes the unexpected rebirth of Licorice Pizza after decades of inaction.

From Los Angeles Times