toothsome
Americanadjective
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pleasing to the taste; palatable.
a toothsome dish.
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pleasing or desirable, as fame or power.
-
voluptuous; sexually alluring.
a toothsome blonde.
adjective
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of delicious or appetizing appearance, flavour, or smell
-
attractive; alluring
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of toothsome
Explanation
Toothsome describes something that's absolutely delicious, like a bite of your famous flourless chocolate cake. You can use the adjective toothsome when you need a new way to say "yummy" or "scrumptious" or "tasty." It's a word that seems to come up often in restaurant reviews: "The hamburger was overcooked, but the accompanying French fries were quite toothsome." This is the earliest meaning of toothsome, from the 1560's — later it came to also be used for describing a pretty girl.
Vocabulary lists containing toothsome
The Awakening
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Simply Scrumptious! Synonyms for "Delicious"
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Eight Cousins
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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 particularly toothsome, sapid red marked by notes of red fruit and spice, and a wonderful match with a wide range of foods.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025
But for California readers, the most toothsome morsel involves Harris’ longtime frenemy, Gov. Gavin Newsom.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 28, 2025
After years of sailing the world, he pursues his toothsome dreams in a Euro-ville pastiche, with a vaulted shopping arcade and a plaza large enough to hold big musical numbers.
From New York Times • Dec. 14, 2023
In the end, despite the toothsome creatures’ fearsome reputation, it was humans that did the sharks in.
From Slate • Sep. 22, 2023
‘Madge—in case you’ve been wondering—is going to marry me ... aren’t you, you toothsome, plump, suet pudding?’
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
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.
