zest

American  

[zest] / zɛst /

noun

1. keen relish; hearty enjoyment; gusto.

2. an agreeable or piquant flavor imparted to something.

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

4. piquancy; interest; charm.

   Synonyms:

   tang, spice

5. liveliness or energy; animating spirit.

6. the peel, especially the thin outer peel, of a citrus fruit used for flavoring.

   lemon zest.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give zest, relish, or piquancy to.

zest British  

/ zɛst /

noun

1. invigorating or keen excitement or enjoyment

   a zest for living

2. added interest, flavour, or charm; piquancy

   her presence gave zest to the occasion

3. something added to give flavour or relish

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

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• zestful
  adjective
• zestfully
  adverb
• zestfulness
  noun
• zestless
  adjective
• zesty
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of zest

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

Explanation

Zest is a kind of zeal or enthusiasm. If you've got a zest for something, you put your whole heart and soul into it. Dancers who have great zest leap, kick, and soar their way around the stage with a kind of joyful energy. Oddly enough, zest can also be the outer peel of a lemon or orange, which chefs scrape into their dishes when they want to add some tartness and tanginess to a recipe. People who live with that same kind of spice are said to have a "zest for life." In other words, they live their lives with a lot of flavor and gusto. A student who has a zest for learning dives into her books with an enjoyment and relish most people reserve for their wedding day.

Example Sentences

I’ll add snappy green beans on the side, finished with a little citrus zest for lift, for a plate that feels balanced, considered and far more effortful than it actually is.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

Lemon zest, for me, is a kind of signature.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

For brightness, add lemon zest — the aromatic lift without the watery slack.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Then comes lift, like lemon zest, a splash of vinegar, something to pull everything upward.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

It is clearly time for me to step boldly into our society, not in the boring, passive manner of the Myrna Minkoff school of social action, but with great style and zest.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• flavoring
• ginger
• salt
• seasoning
• spice