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definitions

relish

[rel-ish]
See more synonyms for relish on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. liking or enjoyment of the taste of something.
  2. pleasurable appreciation of anything; liking: He has no relish for obscene jokes.
  3. Cookery.
    1. something savory or appetizing added to a meal, as pickles or olives.
    2. a sweet pickle made of various vegetables, usually chopped or minced.
    3. an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre.
  4. a pleasing or appetizing flavor.
  5. a pleasing or enjoyable quality.
  6. a taste or flavor.
  7. a smack, trace, or touch of something.
verb (used with object)
  1. to take pleasure in; like; enjoy: I don't relish the long drive home.
  2. to make pleasing to the taste.
  3. to like the taste of.
verb (used without object)
  1. to have taste or flavor.
  2. to be agreeable.

Origin of relish

1520–30; alteration of Middle English reles aftertaste, scent < Old French, variant of relais remainder, that left behind; see release
Related formsrel·ish·a·ble, adjectiverel·ish·ing·ly, adverbself-rel·ish, nounun·rel·ish·a·ble, adjectiveun·rel·ished, adjectiveun·rel·ish·ing, adjective

Synonyms for relish

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com
1, 2. gusto, zest. 2. inclination, partiality, predilection, preference. 3. condiment, appetizer. 6. savor. 8. appreciate.

Antonyms for relish

1, 2. distaste, disfavor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for relished

enjoy, savor, prefer, admire, cherish, like, taste, dig, mind, fancy, go

Examples from the Web for relished

Contemporary Examples of relished

Historical Examples of relished

  • The heir-apparent, the late King, admired his talent and relished his society.

    In the Heart of Vosges

    Matilda Betham-Edwards

  • A little flattery, now and then, is relished by the wisest men.

  • They were accustomed to these triumphs of logic, and relished them.

  • This, with some efforts and more noise than Gonzaga relished, was thrust across the moat.

    Love-at-Arms

    Raphael Sabatini

  • There was nothing Ercole relished less than to be laughed at.

    Love-at-Arms

    Raphael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for relished

relish

verb (tr)
  1. to savour or enjoy (an experience) to the full
  2. to anticipate eagerly; look forward to
  3. to enjoy the taste or flavour of (food, etc); savour
  4. to give appetizing taste or flavour to (food), by or as if by the addition of pickles or spices
noun
  1. liking or enjoyment, as of something eaten or experienced (esp in the phrase with relish)
  2. pleasurable anticipationhe didn't have much relish for the idea
  3. an appetizing or spicy food added to a main dish to enhance its flavour
  4. an appetizing taste or flavour
  5. a zestful trace or touchthere was a certain relish in all his writing
  6. music (in English lute, viol, and keyboard music of the 16th and 17th centuries) a trilling ornament, used esp at cadences
Derived Formsrelishable, adjective

Word Origin for relish

C16: from earlier reles aftertaste, from Old French: something remaining, from relaisser to leave behind; see release
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for relished

relish

n.

1520s, "taste, flavor," alteration of reles "scent, taste, aftertaste," (c.1300), from Old French relais, reles, "something remaining, that which is left behind," from relaisser "to leave behind" (see release (v.)). Meaning "enjoyment of the taste or flavor of something" is attested from 1640s. Sense of "condiment, that which imparts flavor" is first recorded 1797. The stuff you put on hot dogs is a sweet green pickle relish.

relish

v.

1560s "give flavor to" (implied in relished), from relish (n.). The transferred sense of "to enjoy, take pleasure in" is from 1590s. Related: Relishing.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper