appetizing
Americanadjective
-
appealing to or stimulating the appetite; savory.
-
appealing; tempting.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See palatable.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of appetizing
First recorded in 1645–55; appet(ite) + -ize + -ing 2, as translation of French appétissant
Explanation
Something that's appetizing looks or smells like it would taste delicious. An appetizing plate of cheesy nachos might make your mouth water. Use the adjective appetizing when you talk about food that's tempting or makes you hungry. The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies is appetizing, and so is the summertime aroma of your neighbor's grill. Appetizing comes from the noun appetite, or "craving for food," from the Old French apetit, "appetite or desire." The Latin root is appetere, "long for, strive for, or grasp at."
Vocabulary lists containing appetizing
Simply Scrumptious! Synonyms for "Delicious"
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Words to Describe Food
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The state’s Department of Natural Resources has undertaken a marketing push to rebrand the fish as Copi, short for copious, to distinguish them from the bottom-feeding common carp and make them sound more appetizing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
But investors looking for appetizing bargains in overseas markets should consider whether there are stocks at a discount in the U.S. as well.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
I love spending time on the couch and eating a meal and watching something that’s appetizing with my favorite person in the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2025
The couple’s two children are usually game for leftovers, too, and Schlesinger isn’t shy about relaying how much effort goes into making them appetizing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
There was a slice of duck, a bowl of soup in front of her, but now that she gave them a proper look, something about them didn’t appear quite as appetizing as she had remembered.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
