Dried parts of various plants cultivated for their aromatic, savory, medicinal, or otherwise desirable properties.
Spices are the fragrant or pungent products of such tropical or subtropical species as cardamom , cinnamon , clove , ginger , and pepper ; spice seeds include anise , caraway , cumin , fennel , poppy , and sesame . Herbs are the fragrant leaves of such plants as basil , marjoram , mint , rosemary , and thyme . The most notable uses of spices and herbs in very early times were in medicine, in the making of holy oils and unguents, and as aphrodisiacs; they were also used to flavour food and beverages and to inhibit or hide food spoilage. Trade in spices has played a major role in human history. Important early trade routes, including those between Asia and the Middle East and between Europe and Asia, were initially forged to obtain exotic spices and herbs. The 15th-century voyages of discovery were launched largely as a result of the spice trade, and in the 17th century Portugal and the British, Dutch, and French East India companies battled furiously for dominance (see British East India Co. ; Dutch East India Co. ; French East India Co. ).