anisey

adjective

an·​isey

ˈa-nə-sē

: of, relating to, or resembling anise : having a smell or taste similar to that of fennel or licorice

In the South of France the basil plants are bushy, with very small green leaves; these have a stronger, more anisey flavor than the larger leaf plants.

—Martha Rose Shulman, Gourmet Vegetarian Feasts, 1987

Whereas fennel is slightly anisey with a bitter note, cumin is penetratingly earthy with a sour overtone.

—Alice Arndt, Seasoning Savvy: How to Cook with Herbs, Spices, and Other Flavorings, 1999

We gnawed so much fennel that to this day I gag at a whiff of that anisey smell, even a pinch flavoring a stew.

—Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae, 2005

Word History

Etymology

anise + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

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