zesty

[zes-tee]

See more synonyms for zesty on Thesaurus.com

adjective, zest·i·er, zest·i·est.

full of zest; piquant: a zesty salad dressing.
energetic; active: zesty trading in growth stocks.

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Origin of zesty

First recorded in 1925–30; zest + -y¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

piquant spicy pungent zesty poignant racy savory peppery tangy biting sarcastic caustic bitter aromatic sour salty sharp acid acrid barbed

Examples from the Web for zesty

Contemporary Examples

It's a wonderfully playful, zesty turn that sees the 30-year-old dominate every scene he's in.
Oscar Season Kicks Off in Toronto: Channing Tatum, Kristen Stewart, and More Court Awards Glory
Marlow Stern
September 14, 2014
In the June debate in New Hampshire, Michele Bachmann made a splash with her energetic, zesty, self-confident performance.
The Debate Losers: All Eight GOP Candidates
Michael Medved
August 12, 2011
Buttery and zesty, this dessert is the taste of desserts to come.
What to Eat: Spring Feast
Cookstr.com
March 9, 2010

Historical Examples

Natural Port du Salut type described as "zesty" by some of the best purveyors of domestic cheeses.
The Complete Book of Cheese
Robert Carlton Brown

Word Origin and History for zesty

adj.

1789, from zest + -y (2). Related: Zestily; zestiness.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper