Meanings
taste1
plural tastes · alternative obsolete tast
- countableuncountableOne of the sensations produced by the tongue in response to certain chemicals; the quality of giving this sensation.
Venison has a strong taste.
2 more examples
He had a strange taste in his mouth.
Like smell, taste has been found to imprint our minds with strong memories.
2023 June 15, Rebecca Wallwork, “‘You had to be there’: Foods that taste better on home turf”, in CNNSynonyms: smack
- countableuncountableThe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation.
His taste was impaired by an illness.
- countableuncountableA person's implicit set of preferences, especially esthetic, though also culinary, sartorial, etc.
Dr. Parker has good taste in wine.
3 more examples
That's very true indeed Sir Peter! after having married you I should never pretend to Taste again I allow.
1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.i"My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects;[…]."
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLCThe huge square box, parquet-floored and high-ceilinged, had been arranged to display a suite of bedroom furniture designed and made in the halcyon days of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, when modish taste was just due to go clean out of fashion for the best part of the next hundred years.
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLCSynonyms: palate, discernment, culture, refinement, style
- countableuncountablePersonal preference; liking; predilection.
I have developed a taste for fine wine.
Synonyms: palate
- countablefigurativelyuncountableA small amount of experience with something that gives a sense of its quality as a whole.
Such anecdotes give one a taste of life on a trauma ward.
2 more examples
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Bernard, what do you want? / Bernard Woolley: I want to have a clear conscience. / […] / Sir Humphrey Appleby: When did you acquire this taste for luxuries (laugh track)?
1980 March 3, Antony Jay, Jonathan Lynn, “Official Secrets (Yes, Prime Minister)”, in Yes, Prime Minister, season 2, episode 2, spoken by Humphrey Appleby and Bernard Woolley (Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds)I'm all out of luck / I'm all out of faith / I would give everything just for one taste / But everything's here, all out of place[…]
2007, KT Tunstall, “Saving My Face”, in Drastic FantasticSynonyms: impression, sample, trial
- countabledialectaluncountableThe least amount or portion of something; a jot.
"So he opened the door very quitely, an' didn't make a taste o' n'ise in the wurld, an' luked all about, but the niver a bit o' the little man cud he see anywhare, but he h'ard his hammerin' and whis'lin', an' so he luked and luked, till at last he seen the little fellow[.]"
1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 383
present singular third person tastes · participle present tasting · participle past tasted · past tasted · alternative obsolete tast
- transitiveTo sample the flavor of something orally.
when the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 2:91 more example
Does a bagel in New York City really taste better because of the water, or is it our desire to feel like a “real” New Yorker, even for a few minutes over breakfast, that does the trick? […] The idea that a pint of Guinness tastes best in Ireland sounds like it could be a drinker’s romantic notion – but there is science to back up the claim. […] The stats were overwhelmingly in favor of the Guinness tasting better in Ireland – suggesting that the beer doesn’t travel well or perhaps that non-Irish bartenders don’t excel at pouring it.
2023 June 15, Rebecca Wallwork, “‘You had to be there’: Foods that taste better on home turf”, in CNNSynonyms: smack
- figurativelytransitiveTo experience.
I tasted in her arms the delights of paradise.
5 more examples
They had not yet tasted the sweetness of freedom.
He […] should taste death for every man.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Hebrews 2:9Cowards dye many times before their deaths, / The valiant neuer taſte of death but once: […]
c. 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Ivlivs Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, act II, scene ii, page 117, column 1Thou […] wilt taste / No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitarie.
1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLCHopefully, Dux and Julie got to taste some of that good money, because after "No More," there was no more.
1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 4 - To take sparingly.
1 more example
1699, John Dryden, Epistle to John Drydenhttps://books.google.es/books?id=0fo_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA147&dq=%22Age+but+tastes+of+pleasures,+youth+devours%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwihhoWhjrzqAhV9URUIHYdFCJw4ChDoATAAegQIBBAC#v=onepage&q=%22Age%20but%20tastes%20of%20pleasures%2C%20youth%20devours%22&f=false Age but tastes of pleasures, youth devours.
- obsoleteTo try by the touch; to handle.
to taste the bow
1614–1615, Homer, “(please specify the book number)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume (please specify the book number), London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC
taste2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOne of the sensations produced by the tongue in response to certain chemicals; the quality of giving this sensation.
nounA person's implicit set of preferences, especially esthetic, though also culinary, sartorial, etc.
nounPersonal preference; liking; predilection.
nounA small amount of experience with something that gives a sense of its quality as a whole.
verbTo sample the flavor of something orally.
verbTo have a taste; to excite a particular sensation by which flavor is distinguished.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus
noundelicate discrimination (especially of esthetic values)
nouna small amount eaten or drunk
nounthe faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth
nouna kind of sensing; distinguishing substances by means of the taste buds
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*teh₂g-
- Classical Latintaxāre“to touch sharply”
- Vulgar Latin*tastāre“to touch or feel”
- Old Frenchtaster“to taste, touch or hit”
- Middle Englishtasten
- Englishtaste
The verb is from Middle English tasten, borrowed from Old French taster (“to taste, touch or hit”), from unattested Vulgar Latin *tastāre (“to touch or feel”), from *taxitāre, an innovated iterative form of Classical Latin taxāre (“to touch sharply”), from tangere (“to touch, to grasp”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂g-, which is assumed to have had the same meaning as tangere. The noun came from the verb, and the two conflated after English lost its infinitive suffix -en, though tasten was most likely already used nominatively (as a gerund), similar to Modern English tasting. Almost fully displaced native smack, from Middle English smac, smak, smacke, from Old English smæc, smæċċ (“taste, smatch”). Displaced English smatch, from Middle English smacchen, smecchen, from Old English smæċċan (“to taste; to smack”); displaced also Middle English buriȝen, from Old English bierġan (“to taste”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Vulgar Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek γεῦσις, γεύομαι
- γεῦσις (geûsis)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- γεύομαι (geúomai)to sample the flavor of something
- γεύομαι (geúomai)to have a taste
- γεύομαι (geúomai)to experience
Arabic ذَوْق, طَعْم
- ذَوْق (ḏawq)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- طَعْم (ṭaʕm)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- مَذَاق (maḏāq)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- ذَوْق (ḏawq)implicit set of preferences
- ذَاقَ (ḏāqa)to sample the flavor of something
- تَذَوَّقَ (taḏawwaqa)to sample the flavor of something
- ذَاقَ (ḏāqa)to experience
- تَذَوَّقَ (taḏawwaqa)to experience
Basque dastamen
- dastamenone of the sensations produced by the tongue
Bengali স্বাদ, সোয়াদ
- স্বাদ (śad)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- সোয়াদ (śoad)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- মজা (môza)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
Bulgarian вкус, вкус
- вкус (vkus)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- вкус (vkus)the sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- вкус (vkus)implicit set of preferences
- скло́нност (sklónnost)personal preference; liking; predilection
- про́ба (próba)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- опи́тване (opítvane)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- вкусвам (vkusvam)to sample the flavor of something
- опитвам (opitvam)to sample the flavor of something
- вкуся (vkusja)to sample the flavor of something
- и́мам вкус на (ímam vkus na)to have a taste
- изпитвам (izpitvam)to experience
Catalan gust, sabor
- gustone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- saborone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tastone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tastarto sample the flavor of something
- gustarto sample the flavor of something
- tastarto have a taste
- tastarto experience
Chinese Cantonese 味道, 味
- 味道 (mei⁶ dou⁶)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 味 (mei⁶)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
Chinese Mandarin 味道, 味兒 /味儿
- 味道 (wèidao)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 味兒 /味儿 (wèir)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 氣味 /气味 (qìwèi)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 味覺 /味觉 (wèijué)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 品味 (pǐnwèi)implicit set of preferences
- 嘗味 /尝味 (chángwèi)to sample the flavor of something
- 嘗 /尝 (cháng)to sample the flavor of something
- 品嘗 /品尝 (pǐncháng)to sample the flavor of something
- 味道 (wèidao)to have a taste
Czech chuť, vkus
- chuťone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- vkusimplicit set of preferences
- ochutnatto sample the flavor of something
- chutnatto have a taste
- ochutnatto experience
Danish smag, smag
- smagone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- smagimplicit set of preferences
- smagsprøve(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- smageto sample the flavor of something
- smageto have a taste
- smageto experience
Dutch smaak, smaak
- smaakone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- smaakimplicit set of preferences
- proevento sample the flavor of something
- smakento have a taste
- ondergaanto experience
- gevoelento experience
Esperanto gusto, gustumi
- gustoone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- gustumito sample the flavor of something
- gustito have a taste
Estonian maitse, maitse
- maitseone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- maitseimplicit set of preferences
Finnish maku, makuaisti
- makuone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- makuaistione of the sensations produced by the tongue
- makuaistithe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- makuimplicit set of preferences
- mieltymyspersonal preference; liking; predilection
- maku(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- maistaato sample the flavor of something
- maistuato have a taste
- kokeato experience
- maistaato experience
French goût, saveur
- goûtone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- saveurone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- goûtimplicit set of preferences
- avant-goût(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- goûterto sample the flavor of something
- avoir un goûtto have a taste
- goûterto have a taste
- goûter deto experience
German Geschmack, Schmecken
- Geschmackone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- Schmeckenone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- Geschmackimplicit set of preferences
- kostento sample the flavor of something
- probierento sample the flavor of something
- schmeckento have a taste
- kostento experience
Greek γεύση, προτίμηση
- γεύση (géfsi)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- προτίμηση (protímisi)implicit set of preferences
- γούστο (goústo)implicit set of preferences
- γεύση (géfsi)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- πρόγευση (prógefsi)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- γεύομαι (gévomai)to sample the flavor of something
- δοκιμάζω (dokimázo)to sample the flavor of something
- γεύομαι (gévomai)to experience
- δοκιμάζω (dokimázo)to experience
Hebrew טַעַם, טָעַם
- טַעַם (tá'am)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- טָעַם (ta'ám)to sample the flavor of something
Hindi स्वाद, ज़ायक़ा
- स्वाद (svād)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- ज़ायक़ा (zāyqā)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- स्वाद (svād)implicit set of preferences
- रुचि (ruci)personal preference; liking; predilection
- वरीयता (varīytā)personal preference; liking; predilection
- स्वाद (svād)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- चखना (cakhnā)to sample the flavor of something
- चखना (cakhnā)to have a taste
Hungarian íz, ízlelés
- ízone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- ízlelésthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- ízérzékelésthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- ízérzékthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- ízlelőképességthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- ízlésimplicit set of preferences
- ízléspersonal preference; liking; predilection
- tetszéspersonal preference; liking; predilection
- kedvpersonal preference; liking; predilection
- ízelítő(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- kóstoló(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- ízlelto sample the flavor of something
- kóstolto sample the flavor of something
- megízlelto sample the flavor of something
- megkóstolto sample the flavor of something
- íze vanto have a taste
- ízűto have a taste
- ízlelto experience
- megízlelto experience
Icelandic bragð, smekkur
- bragðone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- smekkurimplicit set of preferences
- forsmekkur(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- bragðato sample the flavor of something
- smakkato sample the flavor of something
- bragðastto have a taste
Indonesian rasa
- rasaone of the sensations produced by the tongue
Irish blas, tástáil
- blasone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tástáil(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- tástáilto sample the flavor of something
Italian gusto, sapore
- gustoone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- saporeone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- gustoimplicit set of preferences
- inclinazioneimplicit set of preferences
- gustopersonal preference; liking; predilection
- preferenzapersonal preference; liking; predilection
- gustareto sample the flavor of something
- assaggiareto sample the flavor of something
- assaporareto sample the flavor of something
- godereto sample the flavor of something
- sapereto have a taste
- provareto experience
Japanese 味覚, 味
- 味覚 (mikaku)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 味 (aji)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 趣味 (shumi)implicit set of preferences
- 味 (aji)implicit set of preferences
- 味わう (ajiwau)to sample the flavor of something
- 嘗める (nameru)to sample the flavor of something
- 味がする (aji ga suru)to have a taste
Korean 미각, 맛
- 미각 (migak)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- 맛 (mat)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
Latin gustātus, sapor
- gustātusone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- saporone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- palātumimplicit set of preferences
- saporimplicit set of preferences
- gustoto sample the flavor of something
- sapiōto have a taste
Latvian garša, gaume
- garšaone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- gaumeimplicit set of preferences
- garšotto sample the flavor of something
- garšotto have a taste
Lithuanian skonis
- skonisone of the sensations produced by the tongue
Malay rasa, citarasa
- rasaone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- citarasaimplicit set of preferences
Māori tāwara, tāw(h)ara
- tāwaraone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tāw(h)araone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- ngutungututo sample the flavor of something
- hāto sample the flavor of something
Norwegian smake, smake
- smaketo sample the flavor of something
- smaketo have a taste
Norwegian Bokmål smak, smak
- smakone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- smakimplicit set of preferences
- smakebit(figuratively) a small amount of experience
Persian چشیدن, مزه داشتن
- چشیدن (češidan)to sample the flavor of something
- مزه داشتن (maze dâštan)to have a taste
Polish smak, smak
- smakone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- smakthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- smakimplicit set of preferences
- gustimplicit set of preferences
- smakowaćto sample the flavor of something
- próbowaćto sample the flavor of something
- kosztowaćto sample the flavor of something
- smakowaćto have a taste
Portuguese gosto, sabor
- gostoone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- saborone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- paladarthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- gostoimplicit set of preferences
- paladarimplicit set of preferences
- prova(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- sentir o gosto (de)to sample the flavor of something
- provarto sample the flavor of something
- experimentarto sample the flavor of something
- ter gosto deto have a taste
- saberto have a taste
- experimentarto experience
Punjabi ਸੁਆਦ
- ਸੁਆਦ (suāda)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
Romanian gust, gusta
- gustone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- gustato sample the flavor of something
- a avea gustto have a taste
Russian вкус, вкус
- вкус (vkus)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- вкус (vkus)the sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- вкус (vkus)implicit set of preferences
- скло́нность (sklónnostʹ)personal preference; liking; predilection
- вкус (vkus)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- пе́рвое знако́мство (pérvoje znakómstvo)(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- про́бовать (próbovatʹ)to sample the flavor of something
- попро́бовать (popróbovatʹ)to sample the flavor of something
- име́ть вку́с (imétʹ vkús)to have a taste
Scottish Gaelic blas, blais
- blasone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- blaisto sample the flavor of something
Slovak chuť
- chuťone of the sensations produced by the tongue
Spanish gusto, probadura
- gustoone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- probaduraa small sample of food, drink, or recreational drugs
- cataa small sample of food, drink, or recreational drugs
- gustoimplicit set of preferences
- gustosimplicit set of preferences
- muestra(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- gustarto sample the flavor of something
- probarto sample the flavor of something
- catarto sample the flavor of something
- tastar (disused)to sample the flavor of something
- degustarto sample the flavor of something
- paladearto sample the flavor of something
- libarto sample the flavor of something
- saberto have a taste
- saborearto experience
Swedish smak, smak
- smakone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- smakimplicit set of preferences
- tyckeimplicit set of preferences
- smakprov(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- smakbit(figuratively) a small amount of experience
- smakato sample the flavor of something
- provsmakato sample the flavor of something
- smakato have a taste
- smakato experience
Tagalog panlasa, tikman
- panlasaone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tikmanto sample the flavor of something
- lasahanto sample the flavor of something
Tamil சுவை, சுவை
- சுவை (cuvai)to sample the flavor of something
- சுவை (cuvai)to have a taste
Thai รสชาติ, รส
- รสชาติ (rót-châat)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- รส (rót)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- ชิม (chim)to sample the flavor of something
- รส (rót)to have a taste
Turkish çeşni, tat
- çeşnione of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tatone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- lezzetone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- tatmakto sample the flavor of something
- tadına bakmakto sample the flavor of something
- tatmakto have a taste
Ukrainian смак, смак
- смак (smak)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- смак (smak)implicit set of preferences
- смакува́ти (smakuváty)to sample the flavor of something
- спро́бувати (spróbuvaty)to sample the flavor of something
- куштува́ти (kuštuváty)to sample the flavor of something
- скуштува́ти (skuštuváty)to sample the flavor of something
- ма́ти смак (máty smak)to have a taste
Urdu ذائِقَہ, طَعْم
- ذائِقَہ (zāiqa)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- طَعْم (ta'm)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- مَزَہ (maza)one of the sensations produced by the tongue
- چکھنا (cakhnā)to sample the flavor of something
Vietnamese vị, vị giác
- vịone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- vị giácthe sense that consists in the perception and interpretation of this sensation
- sở thíchimplicit set of preferences
- guimplicit set of preferences
- nếmto sample the flavor of something
- trải nghiệmto experience
- nếm trảito experience
Welsh blas, blasu
- blasone of the sensations produced by the tongue
- blasuto sample the flavor of something
Yiddish טעם, געשמאַק
- טעם (tam)implicit set of preferences
- געשמאַק (geshmak)implicit set of preferences
- גוסט (gust)implicit set of preferences
- טועם זײַן (toyem zayn)to sample the flavor of something
- פֿאַרזוכן (farzukhn)to sample the flavor of something
- טועם־טעם זײַן (toyem-tam zayn)to have a taste
- פֿאַרזוכן (farzukhn)to have a taste
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with taste
Anagrams
Cite this entry
taste. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taste
“taste.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taste. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “taste,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/taste.
Source: taste on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.