liquorice

[ lik-uh-rish, lik-rish, lik-er-is ]

noun

, Chiefly British.

1. a variant of licorice.

liquorice

/ -ərɪʃ; ˈlɪkərɪs /

noun

1. a perennial Mediterranean leguminous shrub, Glycyrrhiza glabra, having spikes of pale blue flowers and flat red-brown pods
2. the dried root of this plant, used as a laxative and in confectionery
3. a sweet having a liquorice flavour

Word History and Origins

Origin of liquorice¹

C13: via Anglo-Norman and Old French from Late Latin liquirītia, from Latin glycyrrhīza, from Greek glukurrhiza, from glukus sweet + rhiza root

Example Sentences

He refused to comment to the PA news agency, saying he was busy eating a liquorice sweet.

From BBC

In the study, 28 women and men aged 18-30 were instructed to eat liquorice, or a control product that did not contain any liquorice, over two periods of time.

From Science Daily

After all, there is not much point creating more 'raceable' cars if the tyres turn into liquorice when you're trying to follow another car.

From BBC

For dessert, he served "gold, frankincense and myrrh blancmanges" topped with honeycomb, pistachio and liquorice crumb, which judge John Torode described as "delightful".

From BBC

The man, who has not been named but was 54 years old, ate about one-and-a-half bags of black liquorice every day.

From BBC