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:
Customers are often greeted with Champagne and caviar and pampered with gourmet meals and massage treatments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 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
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
The five-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom property also features a gourmet kitchen as well as an additional guesthouse that is described as being the ideal spot for a home office or “state-of-the-art fitness studio.”
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 26, 2026
Emmett will get to shop at the gourmet grocer in Milford, which is only thirty minutes from Fairview, but a world away in excellent ingredients.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
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
Regliat promises that its spread is "for gourmets, or for sports enthusiasts looking for a quick source of energy."
From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2022
But even gourmets, churning out flavors like matcha and rose water, can’t break my attachment to Carvel.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 12, 2018
There are armchair gourmets, too, among the devotees.
From The New Yorker ● Aug. 22, 2016
If two gourmets fall out over the respective merits of their favourite entremets, the remedy is now easy.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, February 25, 1914 by Various
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.
