zest

[ zest ]

/ zɛst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR zest ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

keen relish; hearty enjoyment; gusto.

an agreeable or piquant flavor imparted to something.

anything added to impart flavor, enhance one's appreciation, etc.

piquancy; interest; charm.

liveliness or energy; animating spirit.

the peel, especially the thin outer peel, of a citrus fruit used for flavoring: lemon zest.

verb (used with object)

to give zest, relish, or piquancy to.

Nearby words

Origin of zest

1665–75; < French zest (now zeste) orange or lemon peel used for flavoring < ?

SYNONYMS FOR zest

4 spice, tang.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR zest ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formszest·less, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for zest

One day at a funeral, he meets Maude (Ruth Gordon), a 79-year-old with a zest for life.
Most Overlooked Romance Films for Valentine’s Day Weekend: ‘True Romance,’ ‘His Girl Friday,’ More|Marlow Stern|February 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Prince Charles honors Mandela's 'zest for life,' Queen speaks of his 'peaceful legacy'.
Prince Charles and The Queen Pay Tribute To Mandela|Tom Sykes|December 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
By the end of her life, that energy, that zest, had drained away.
How Margaret Thatcher Transformed British Politics|Tunku Varadarajan|April 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
At 45 he had lost his luster, his zest for work, life, and family.
Marcia Clark, Jim Axelrod, and Other Hot Reads|The Daily Beast|May 26, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Pelosi has lost none of her zest for the fight now that she is in the minority.
The House's Hush-Hush Alliance|Eleanor Clift|March 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Every minute of Robert's life was interesting and never had it been so full of zest as in this, his last year at Annapolis.
An Annapolis First Classman|Lt.Com Edward L. Beach
The velvet dusk of Diane's eyes was sparkling with the zest of woodland adventure.
Diane of the Green Van|Leona Dalrymple
And indeed, he might look small and fragile huddled in his chair, but he was showing energy and zest for life.
The Saracen: The Holy War|Robert Shea
The officers, becoming dizzy, lost their zest for the affair, and the firemen had to be sent for.
The Quest|Frederik van Eeden
Yet, as all entered into this novel work with zest, the fires had soon been hauled out on to the floor plates.
Dave Darrin's Second Year at Annapolis|H. Irving Hancock

British Dictionary definitions for zest

zest

/ (zɛst) /

noun

invigorating or keen excitement or enjoymenta zest for living

added interest, flavour, or charm; piquancyher presence gave zest to the occasion

something added to give flavour or relish

the peel or skin of an orange or lemon, used as flavouring in drinks, etc

verb

(tr) to give flavour, interest, or piquancy to

Derived Forms

zestful, adjectivezestfully, adverbzestfulness, nounzestless, adjective

zesty, adjective

Word Origin for zest

C17: from French zeste peel of citrus fruits used as flavouring, of unknown origin

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 zest

zest

1670s, from French zeste "piece of orange or lemon peel used as a flavoring," of unknown origin. Sense of "thing that adds flavor" is 1709; that of "keen enjoyment" first attested 1791.

zest

noun

verb (used with object)

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of zest

Examples from the Web for zest

British Dictionary definitions for zest

zest

noun

verb

Word Origin for zest

Word Origin and History for zest

zest