spicy
gb/spˈaɪsi/ us/spˈaɪsi/
A2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
hot with chili or spices
Having a hot taste from spices or chili.
Usage pattern:
[food/drink] is spicy; spicy [dish]
Common mistake:
Spicy refers to flavor heat (from chili/spices), not temperature. A common misspelling is "spicey."
Synonyms
hot (Common synonym for food with chili heat.)
|
peppery (Often suggests black pepper bite more than chili heat.)
|
piquant (More formal; often means pleasantly sharp or spicy.)
Antonyms
mild (Not strongly hot or strongly seasoned.)
|
bland (Lacking strong flavor or seasoning.)
Collocations
spicy food
|spicy curry
|spicy salsa
|spicy sauce
|spicy wings
|spicy noodles
|spicy ramen
|spicy soup
|spicy seasoning
|spicy tacos
Themes
food_and_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- This ramen is too spicy for me, but it tastes great.
- She ordered a spicy chicken sandwich with extra sauce.
- The curry got spicier as I kept eating.
Learner examples
- I like spicy food.
- This soup is very spicy.
adjective
B1
property
2
strongly aromatic with spices
Smelling or tasting strongly of spices.
Usage pattern:
spicy [aroma/scent/flavor]; [something] smells spicy
Common mistake:
Not all spicy foods are "hot"; spicy can also mean a warm, spiced aroma (e.g., cinnamon, clove).
Synonyms
aromatic (Focuses on a strong, pleasant smell.)
|
fragrant (Emphasizes a nice smell, not necessarily food.)
|
spiced (Means seasoned with spices; often less about heat.)
Antonyms
plain (Simple and not strongly flavored or scented.)
|
odorless (Having no smell.)
Collocations
spicy aroma
|spicy scent
|spicy smell
|spicy notes
|spicy flavor
|spicy fragrance
|spicy chai
|spicy marinade
|spicy stew
|spicy sausage
Themes
food_and_drink
|shopping
|home
Examples
- The kitchen smelled spicy from the cinnamon and cloves.
- This tea has a spicy flavor that reminds me of gingerbread.
- The wine had spicy notes of pepper and oak.
Learner examples
- The tea smells spicy.
adjective
informal
B2
property
3
sexually suggestive or racy
A little sexual or not suitable for children.
Usage pattern:
a spicy [joke/photo/scene/message]
Common mistake:
In this meaning, spicy does not relate to food; it means sexually suggestive.
Synonyms
racy (Suggestive in a playful or bold way.)
|
suggestive (Hints at sex without being explicit.)
|
risqué (A bit formal; implies something slightly shocking or improper.)
Antonyms
clean (Not containing sexual content or profanity.)
|
innocent (Not sexual or provocative.)
Collocations
spicy joke
|spicy photo
|spicy scene
|spicy message
|spicy chat
|spicy text
|spicy content
|spicy comments
|spicy meme
|spicy caption
Themes
relationships
|media
|emotions
Examples
- Some of the jokes in that show are pretty spicy.
- He sent a spicy text that made her blush.
- The movie has a few spicy scenes, so it’s not for kids.
Learner examples
- That joke is too spicy for me.
adjective
informal
C1
property
4
provocative or controversial
Likely to cause strong reactions or arguments.
Usage pattern:
a spicy [opinion/comment/remark/headline]
Common mistake:
This meaning is often used about opinions online; it doesn’t mean the idea is true—only that it’s bold or controversial.
Synonyms
controversial (More neutral and common in formal contexts too.)
|
provocative (Emphasizes that it is meant to provoke a reaction.)
|
edgy (Suggests being daring or pushing boundaries; often trendy.)
Antonyms
tame (Not exciting, bold, or provocative.)
|
uncontroversial (Unlikely to cause disagreement.)
Collocations
spicy opinion
|spicy comment
|spicy remark
|spicy headline
|spicy post
|spicy response
|spicy debate
|spicy question
|spicy accusation
|spicy rumor
Themes
communication
|media
|social_media
|opinions
Examples
- She posted a spicy opinion about the election, and the comments exploded.
- That article has a few spicy claims but not much evidence.
- He made a spicy remark in the meeting and everyone went quiet.
Learner examples
- That is a spicy opinion.
adjective
informal
B2
property
5
feisty, snappy, or combative
A little angry or ready to argue.
Usage pattern:
get spicy; be spicy with [someone]
Common mistake:
Often used in casual speech about attitude or behavior; it can be playful or critical depending on tone.
Synonyms
feisty (Lively and willing to fight or argue, often spirited.)
|
snappy (Quick and slightly rude in speech.)
|
combative (More serious; ready to fight or argue.)
Antonyms
calm (Not easily upset or argumentative.)
|
polite (Respectful and not rude or confrontational.)
Collocations
get spicy
|be spicy
|spicy attitude
|spicy with the referee
|spicy exchange
|spicy argument
|spicy reply
|spicy comeback
|spicy behavior
|spicy mood
Themes
emotions
|sports
|communication
Examples
- The player got spicy with the referee after the call.
- Don’t get spicy with me—I’m just asking a question.
- Her replies were a little spicy today, so I gave her some space.
Learner examples
- He got spicy and started arguing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
spicy
IPA
GB/spˈaɪsi/
US/spˈaɪsi/
Syllables & stress
spicy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (spicy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: spicy
- Comparative: spicier
- Superlative: spiciest
Expressions
get spicy
1/ɡˈɛt spˈaɪsi/
idiom
informal
become aggressive or snappy
To start arguing or acting tough.
Examples
- He got spicy when they questioned his decision.
- Things got spicy in the fourth quarter after a hard foul.
- Don’t get spicy with customer support—they’re trying to help.
spicy content
1/spˈaɪsi kˈɑntɛnt/
fixed phrase
informal
sexually suggestive media
Photos, videos, or messages that are sexual.
Examples
- The creator warned viewers that the page includes spicy content.
- They moved the spicy content to a private account.
- I didn’t expect spicy content in a cooking video comment section.
spicy take
1/spˈaɪsi tˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
informal
provocative opinion online
A strong opinion that may cause arguments.
Examples
- Here’s my spicy take: the sequel is better than the original.
- He dropped a spicy take on Twitter and muted the replies.
- That’s a spicy take for a Monday morning.
too spicy for [someone]
1/tˈu spˈaɪsi fɚ sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
informal
more intense than tolerable
Not OK for someone because it is too hot (food) or too sexual/bold (content).
Examples
- That salsa is too spicy for my dad.
- I skipped that episode because it was too spicy for me.
- The jokes were too spicy for a family dinner.