Word of the Day - Vanilla

vanilla

/vəˈnɪlə/
noun
1
mass noun A substance obtained from vanilla pods or produced
artificially and used to flavor foods or to impart a fragrant scent to
cosmetic preparations.
as modifier ‘vanilla ice cream’
2 A tropical climbing orchid which has fragrant flowers and long pod-like fruit.
2.1
The fruit of the vanilla plant which is cured and then either used in
cooking or processed to extract an essence which is used for flavour and
fragrance.
adjective
informal
Having no special or extra features; ordinary or standard.

Origin
Mid
17th century: from Spanish vainilla ‘pod’, diminutive of vaina ‘sheath,
pod’, from Latin vagina ‘sheath’. The spelling change was due to
association with French vanille.

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Vanilla is the second most expensive spice, surpassed only by saffron, largely because it is labor-intensive to produce.