Word To Use Today: spice.

 I love the names of spices: cinnamon, cardamom, caraway, nutmeg, mace, ginger...

...actually, the last three words aren't really that beautiful; I think I must be getting the words mixed up with the scent and idea of cake.   

But anyway, the word spice itself is really interesting.

Word To Use Today: spice. This word came into English in the 1200s from France (of course: in 1200 the English were exclusively* eating turnips). The Old French word was espice, which came from the Latin word speciēs, which means kind (as in sort).

photo by Dharmadhyaksha

At the same time, the word also had a flavour (sorry) of the Latin word spīcea (or a word something like it) which means fragrant herb. That word comes from spīceus, which means having spiky leaves. (Spica means ear of corn.)

*Well, not exclusively...