gustatory
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gustatory
1675–85; < Latin gustā ( re ) to taste + -tory 1
Explanation
If you want to improve the gustatory appeal of a grapefruit, you might add a spoonful of sugar. Gustatory is an adjective that refers to tasting or the sense of taste. You may be tempted to link gustatory with the word gust, meaning "a quick, strong rush of wind." However, gustatory has its roots in the Latin gustare, meaning "to taste," while gust can be traced back to the Old Norse gustr, meaning to "to gush." But if a gust of wind brings with it the savory aroma of a nearby backyard barbecue, you might find yourself licking the air in gustatory frustration.
Vocabulary lists containing gustatory
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Consider the Lobster
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Imagery, Figures of Speech, and Tone
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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.
I knew some of them, yet I never really absorbed them until I decided to make Chapter One my gustatory church for the Cup and watch as many games there as possible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
For people cosplaying as a vacationer on the Amalfi Coast, there may be no better gustatory way to approximate the sensation.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2024
Setting aside the specter of a mauling, social media users were impressed with “Oreo,” taking to X to unfurl a string of dad jokes about the animal’s gustatory predilections.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2024
“As always, I don’t want any special treatment. I want to be treated like everybody else,” he says in his video review, explaining why it didn’t feature the usual gustatory theater.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2023
While the old man in the underground prison had eaten well in North Korea, Park’s gustatory adventures were global.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
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.
