- clove (1)
- "spice," early 13c., from O.Fr. clou (de girofle) "nail (of clove)," so called from its shape, from L. clavus "a nail" (see slot (2)).
- clove (2)
- "slice of garlic," O.E. clufu, from P.Gmc. *klubo "cleft, thing cloven."
- gillyflower
- 1550s, folk-etymology spelling (by association of flower) of gilofre "clove" (so named for its scent), c.1300, from O.Fr. girofle "clove," ult. from Gk. karyophyllon "clove, nut leaf, dried flower bud of clove tree," from karyon "nut" + phyllon "leaf" (see folio).
- garlic
- O.E. garleac (Mercian), garlec (W. Saxon), from gar "spear" (in reference to the clove), see gar + leac "leek."
- spice
- early 13c., from O.Fr. espice, from L.L. species (pl.) "spices, goods, wares," from L. "kind, sort" (see species). Early druggists recognized four "types" of spices: saffron, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg. Fig. sense of "slight touch or trace of something" is recorded from 1530s. The verb, "to season with spices" is first recorded early 14c. (implied in spiced). Spicy is from 1560s; in the fig. sense of "racy, salacious" it dates from 1844. Spice-cake first attested 1520s.