gustatory
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
It’s a return to innocence — a gustatory reminder of those carefree childhood moments when I indulged in the sourest of sour treats to my heart’s content.
From Salon • Sep. 13, 2025
And yet, perhaps because of the strange diction, the phrase is more than just a gustatory command.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 17, 2024
This allowed the researchers to design an "electronic gustatory cortex" that connect a physiology-drive "hunger neuron," psychology-driven "appetite neuron" and a "feeding circuit."
From Science Daily • Oct. 4, 2023
Currently, I guess I exist in something of a gustatory gray area, too.
From Salon • Sep. 6, 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.
