spice: [13] Spice is ultimately the same word as species. It comes via Old French espice from Latin speciēs ‘appearance, kind’. In late Latin its plural came to be used for ‘goods, wares’, probably from the notion of a particular ‘sort’ of merchandise, and by the time the word reached English its usage had narrowed still further to ‘aromatic plant substances of oriental or tropical origin, used in cooking’. => special
spice (n.)
c. 1200, "something added to food or drink to enhance the flavor, vegetable substance aromatic or pungent to the taste," also "a spice used as a medication or an alchemical ingredient," from Old French espice (Modern French épice), from Late Latin species (plural) "spices, goods, wares," in classical Latin "kind, sort" (see species). From c. 1300 as "an aromatic spice," also "spices as commodities;" from early 14c. as "a spice-bearing plant." Figurative sense of "attractive or enjoyable variation" is from 13c.; that of "slight touch or trace of something" is recorded from 1530s. Meaning "specimen, sample" is from 1790. Early druggists recognized four "types" of spices: saffron, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg.
spice (v.)
"to season with spices," early 14c. (implied in spiced), from spice (n.), or from Old French espicier, from the French noun. Figurative sense of "to vary, diversify" is from 1520s.
例文
1. To add spice to the debate，they disagreed about method and ideology.
彼らは方法と観念の面で異なる意見を持っていて、これは議論を大いにすばらしくした。
2.Make deep slashes in the meat and push in the spice paste.
肉に深い口を切り、辛味噌を切り込みます。
3.Her publisher wants her to spice up her stories with sex.
彼女の出版社は彼女に小説に性的描写を加えて読者を引き付けるようにしたいと思っている。
4.Variety is the spice of life！
多様化で生活が楽しくなる！
5.The spice imparts an Eastern flavour to the dish.