gourmet
Americannoun
-
gourmets
plural
adjective
-
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.
-
elaborately equipped for the preparation of fancy, specialized, or exotic meals.
a gourmet kitchen.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of gourmet
1810–20; < French; Old French gromet, grommes valet (especially of a wine merchant)
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.
Vocabulary lists containing gourmet
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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!
Mardi Gras: 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!
English Words Derived from French, List 7
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
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
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
The Seia Club, an invitation-only private club on the 55th floor of a high-end office building in the Brickell financial district, opened in March, featuring gourmet cuisine and a curated art collection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
Inside, they found lavish surroundings, wedding-banquet style spreads of biryani, kebabs and gulab jamun, along with gourmet coffee blended from Brazilian and Ethiopian beans.
From Barron's ● Apr. 11, 2026
Miri brought in these red-velvet cupcakes that she said were gourmet but really tasted exactly like the store mix Mom uses when she doesn’t have time to bake.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
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
Shirtless men in waist-high water scooped out the salt crystals for sale to gourmets in Europe.
From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2019
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
Down at Marseilles, gourmets occasionally eat angle-worms and find them to be a very appetizing dish.
From Psychotherapy by James J. (James Joseph) Walsh
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.
