spicy

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From spice +‎ -y, attested since the 16th century.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈspaɪsi/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪsi

Adjective

spicy (comparative spicier, superlative spiciest)

  1. Of, pertaining to, or containing spice.
    He prepared a spicy casserole.
  2. (informal, of flavors) Provoking a burning sensation due to the presence of capsaicin.
    This curry is too spicy for me. I can't eat it.
    • 2015 August 31, Jiyeon Lee and Sol Han, “7 super spicy South Korean dishes – and tips for eating them”, in CNN[1]:
      This place is actually known for serving the Donkatsu of Death, aka the Drop-Dead Donkatsu, by far the spiciest dish I’ve ever endured.
    • 2021 September 17, Noelle Ike, “Truff’s new white truffle hot sauce is even hotter, and perfect for amping up mealtime”, in CNN[2]:
      That’s why we knew we had to get our hands on Truff’s latest launch: White Hotter. It’s an even spicier take on the fan-favorite (and perhaps our favorite), White Truffle Hot Sauce.
    • 2024 June 2, Parija Kavilanz, “‘Swicy’ is the hottest trend in food right now”, in CNN[3]:
      “I think we are going to see a lot more of this,” said Lyons Wyatt. “There is a push now and we do see both unit and dollar growth of spicy and swicy products.”
  3. (of foods, flavors, or odors) Tangy, zesty, or pungent.
    She breathed in the strong, spicy aroma.
    • 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page iv:
      The breath of the mountain heifer was fragrant as the gales of Sirendiep, by feeding on ſpicy herbs.
  4. (of expression or behavior) Vigorous; colorful; stimulating.
    He is known for his spicy political commentary.
  5. Scandalous.
  6. (Internet slang) Risky; mildly aggressive or dangerous.
    Look at the little wildcub! That's one spicy ball of fur.
  7. (Internet slang) Risqué, sexy, racy; mildly pornographic.
    I don't want my children to see the spicy images on this web site.

Synonyms

  • (provoking a burning sensation): hot, spicy-hot, piquant

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also

Basic tastes in English (layout · text)
sweet sour salty bitter spicy savory

References

Anagrams

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈspʲi.t͡sɨ/
  • Rhymes: -it͡sɨ
  • Syllabification: spi‧cy

Adjective

spicy

  1. sleeping, asleep
  2. dormant (e.g. of a volcano)

Declension

Declension of spicy
singular dual plural
masculine neuter feminine virile nonvirile virile nonvirile
animate inanimate
nominative
vocative
spicy spice spica spicej spice
genitive spicego
spiceg¹
spiceje
spicej¹
spiceju spicych
dative spicemu
spicem¹
spicej spicyma spicym
accusative spicego
spiceg¹
spicy spice spicu spiceju spicej spice, spicych spice
instrumental spicym spiceju
spicej¹
spicyma spicymi
locative spicem
spicym²
spicej spicyma spicych

¹ poetic, colloquial
² obsolete, dialectal

Participle

spicy

  1. past active participle of spaś

Declension

Declension of spicy
singular dual plural
masculine neuter feminine virile nonvirile virile nonvirile
animate inanimate
nominative
vocative
spicy spice spica spicej spice
genitive spicego
spiceg¹
spiceje
spicej¹
spiceju spicych
dative spicemu
spicem¹
spicej spicyma spicym
accusative spicego
spiceg¹
spicy spice spicu spiceju spicej spice, spicych spice
instrumental spicym spiceju
spicej¹
spicyma spicymi
locative spicem
spicym²
spicej spicyma spicych

¹ poetic, colloquial
² obsolete, dialectal

Synonyms

References

  • Muka, Arnošt (1921, 1928), “spicy”, in Słownik dolnoserbskeje rěcy a jeje narěcow (in German), St. Petersburg, Prague: ОРЯС РАН, ČAVU; Reprinted Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag, 2008
  • Starosta, Manfred (1999), “spicy”, in Dolnoserbsko-nimski słownik / Niedersorbisch-deutsches Wörterbuch (in German), Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag