Anise
/ˈæn.ɪs/noun
A plant of the parsley family whose aromatic seeds are used as a spice and flavoring.
Did you know?Anise’s name ultimately comes from Greek and Latin words for the plant, and its fragrant seeds were prized in the ancient Mediterranean not just as flavoring, but as a powerful medicinal and ritual herb.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ken-
“to smell or give off a scent”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄνισον (ánison)
“anise plant”
Late Latin
Latin
anīsum
“anise”
Old French
Old French
anis
“anise”
Middle English
English
anis
“anise”