taster

[tey-ster]

noun

1. a person who tastes, especially one skilled in distinguishing the qualities of liquors, tea, etc., by the taste.

2. a container for taking samples or tasting.

3. a wide shallow cup, usually metal, for holding wine to be tasted, as by a professional taster.

4. a person employed or ordered to taste the food and drink prepared for a king, dictator, etc., to ascertain the presence of poison.

5. Genetics.,  a person able to taste phenylthiourea or some other test substance.

taster

/ ˈteɪstə /

noun

1. a person who samples food or drink for quality

2. any device used in tasting or sampling

3. a person employed, esp formerly, to taste food and drink prepared for a king, etc, to test for poison

4. a sample or preview of a product, experience, etc, intended to stimulate interest in the product, experience, etc, itself

   the single serves as a taster for the band's new album

Other Word Forms

• pretaster noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of taster¹

1350–1400; Middle English tastour < Anglo-French. See taste, -er ¹

Example Sentences

“We volunteer to be bread tasters,” Beowulf announced.

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The fruit was described as "sweet and very delicious," while the wine impressed tasters with its "subtle Muscat aroma and smooth drinking quality."

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Despite putting himself out there by going to taster sessions for various societies, he couldn't find his people.

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"I know what to expect with the audience... it was a bit of a taster run."

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Dunn explained that early evidence has repeatedly shown that there are different populations of so-called “sour tasters.”

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Related Words

• bowl 
• drink 
• mug