Forms: 5–6 cicoree, 6 cykory, -ie, sichorie, 6–7 cycory, -ie, cichorie, 7 cicory, 7–8 cichory, (9 chiccory, 7– chicory). See also SUCCORY. [a. F. cichorée (now chicorée) endive, chicory (= It. cicórea):—L. cichorium, cichorēum, ad. Gr. κίχορα, κιχόρεια (neut. pl.) succory, endive.
In 16th c. French (Littré) and in Cotgrave cichorée is the main form, chicorée occasional: the former was noted and condemned by Marg. Buffet 1668, and Ménage 1672, and is now obsolete; in English also chicory began to supersede cichory in the 17–18th c.]
1. The plant Cichorium Intybus (N. O. Compositæ), with bright blue flowers, found wild in the south of England, and elsewhere in Europe and Asia, and cultivated in various parts for its root.
[1393. Gower, Conf., III. 132. Thilke herbe also … Cicorea the boke him calleth.]
a. 1450. Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.), 53. Eleutropia … angl. et gall. cicoree.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 28 b. Cykorie or suckorie … is lyke in operation to lettise.
1579. Langham, Gard. Health (1633), 142. Decoction, or powder of Cicory or Endiue.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, De la Cichorée, Sichorie, an herb.
1605. Timme, Quersit., II. vii. 140. Opium and cichory. Ibid., III. 172. The flowers of chicory, commonly called suckary.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, 249. Cichory and Dandelion have some of the same Qualities.
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 113. The most interesting circumstance of their farms is the chicory. Ibid. (1806–7), Agric. Essex (1813), I. 8. Chicory is indigenous in every lane and on the borders of most of the fields.
1859. Loudon, Encycl. Garden., III. III. vii. § 3. The succory, or chiccory, is a hardy perennial not uncommon in calcareous wastes and by road sides.
1860. Delamer, Kitch. Gard., 109.
2. The root of this plant ground and roasted as an addition to, or substitute for, coffee.
[1805. Hatchett, in Phil. Trans., XCV. 301. A sort of coffee prepared from the chicorée (I suppose endive) root … was given me by Sir Joseph Banks.]
1853. Soyer, Pantroph., 270. Chicory, or succory, is received under the mask of coffee.
1869. Oliver, Elem. Bot., II. 199. Chicory, the kiln-dried, and then roasted and powdered root of Cichorium Intybus, used extensively to mix with coffee.
Mod. In compliance with the Adulteration Act, this is ‘sold as a mixture of Chicory and Coffee.’
3. Comb., as chicory-maker, -paste, -root.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., II. iii. 17. At the begynnynge of dynner he shall eate cicoree rootes and leaves sodden.
1855. J. F. Johnston, Chem. Com. Life, I. 218. The chicory-maker adulterates his chicory with Venetian red.
1862. Whyte-Melville, Queen’s Maries (1866), 67. For the dessert, seven dishes of fruit, and one of chicory-paste.
