Picante
/piˈkan.te/noun
Having a spicy or peppery taste; piquant.
Did you know?Spanish picante comes from the Latin root *picāre* / *picāns*, linked to ‘pricking’ or ‘stinging,’ the same sensory logic behind words for sharpness and bite in other Indo-European branches.
Etymological Timeline
Latin (classical/late)
Latin
picāre / picāns
“to prick, sting, or make sharp”
Old Spanish
Old Spanish
picante
“stinging, pungent, biting”
Modern Spanish
Spanish
picante
“spicy; piquant; provocative”
Modern English
English
picante
“spicy or seasoned with chili peppers”