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Glite Dictionary
spicer

spicer

1 9.5
A person who sells or prepares seasonings like cinnamon and pepper for cooking
  • noun
  • /ˈspaɪsər/
  • Archaic
: especiero
  • In the medieval city, a local spicer was known for his ability to blend perfect mixtures of spices for the royal cooking.

Examples

  • The ancient marketplace was filled with vendors, including a skilled spicer selling exotic herbs and spices.

  • Historically, the role of a spicer was essential in trade, providing rare flavors to wealthy households.

  • Straight black with a spicer chaser.

    Gold (2016)

Surface Forms

spicer singular
spicers plural

Morphology

spicer = spice (transparent) = spice + er

The word is transparently formed from 'spice' plus the agentive suffix '-er', meaning a person associated with spices.

Etymology

Spicer comes from the word spice, which means 'strong seasonings' like cinnamon and cloves. In old markets a spicer was the person who sold or mixed these seasonings, so the word today means someone who deals in spices.