gourmet

American  

[goor-may, goor-may] / gʊərˈmeɪ, ˈgʊər meɪ /

noun

• gourmets
  plural

1. 

   a connoisseur of fine food and drink; epicure.

   Synonyms:

   bon vivant, gastronome

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adjective

1. of or characteristic of a gourmet, especially in involving or purporting to involve high-quality or exotic ingredients and skilled preparation.

   gourmet meals; gourmet cooking.

2. elaborately equipped for the preparation of fancy, specialized, or exotic meals.

   a gourmet kitchen.

gourmet British  

/ ɡurmɛ, ˈɡʊəmeɪ /

noun

1. a person who cultivates a discriminating palate for the enjoyment of good food and drink

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gourmets
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of gourmet

1810–20; < French; Old French gromet, grommes valet (especially of a wine merchant)

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Explanation

That guy over there correctly identifying the dozen spices used in the meal he's eating? He’s likely a gourmet, someone who knows a lot about fine food. There are gourmets and then there are foodies. Both are food enthusiasts who live to eat. A gourmet, pronounced like the French word that is its double: "gor-MAY," is more likely to go for the most refined dining experience, created by a chef who trained in Europe. A foodie, on the other hand, might take you to the best burrito place — because their guacamole tastes the best — then stop by the farmers' market to see if the first of the asparagus crop has arrived.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gourmet gourmets

Moreover, he’s a chess-playing, gourmet cooking, crime fiction aficionado and jazz lover equally comfortable on the mean streets of East Daygo and in the lush life of La Jolla Farms estates.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

At the heart of the dwelling is an enormous great room, which opens up to a formal dining room—complete with its own wine cellar—as well as a gourmet kitchen with “premium appliances” and custom cabinetry.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026

In May 2017 he spent £84.95 on five packs of gourmet beans and £123.91 on five packs of roasted beans.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

“Even a high end, gourmet store in the middle of Manhattan wouldn’t cost that much to build.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

She said that the chickens at this plant were special gourmet chickens that Mr. Lyndon’s wife served guests at the mansion.

From "Kira-Kira" by Cynthia Kadohata

In Brussels, the epicenter of the EU, restaurant owners have imagined how a future without gas and electricity would look like for gourmets.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 30, 2022

Fisher, the formerly handsome Limited Editions Club volume was swarming with tiny gourmets fond of high-quality paper and tasteful illustrations.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 30, 2020

Health-conscious gourmets combing the new cookbooks might add “The First Mess: Vibrant Plant-based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons” to their shelves, along with “Naturally Nourished” or “Blissful Basil.”

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2017

There are armchair gourmets, too, among the devotees.

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 22, 2016

And if the same dish can make his mouth water nearly every day in the week, how much more fortunate is he than fickle gourmets!

From A Poor Man's House by Stephen Sydney Reynolds

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