appetizing
Americanadjective
-
appealing to or stimulating the appetite; savory.
-
appealing; tempting.
adjective
Related Words
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words to Describe Food
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Though its smell is hardly appetizing, the cloth is surrounded by a group of women, each with her hands on the folds to knead, slap, punch and beat the cloth into shape.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 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
He thinks first and foremost of the markets; when one kind of goods begins to go off slackly, he is ready with something new and appetizing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025
But it was little comfort, and Boaz was certain that as soon as the lion realized they were a much more appetizing prospect than a flimsy lighter, it’d be back.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions 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.
