delicious

1 of 2

adjective

de·​li·​cious di-ˈli-shəs 

1

: appealing to one of the bodily senses especially of taste or smell

a delicious meal

delicious aromas

2

: affording great pleasure : delightful

a delicious bit of gossip

deliciously adverb

deliciousness noun

Delicious

2 of 2

noun

plural Deliciouses or Delicious

: a sweet red or yellow eating apple of U.S. origin that has a crown of five rounded prominences on the end opposite the stem

Synonyms of delicious

Adjective

• tasty
• flavorful
• edible
• delightful
• yummy
• scrumptious
• delectable
• heavenly
• appetizing

Examples of delicious in a Sentence

Adjective

This is the most delicious ice cream I have ever eaten.

Delicious aromas were floating from the kitchen.

a delicious bit of gossip

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Best Restaurants Duke's Huntington Beach Both Hallworth and MacAllister rave about Duke’s for its incredible ambiance, delicious food, and central location just steps from the sand. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2025

The taste is crunchy, fresh, savory and utterly delicious. —Terry Ward, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025

For broccoli, blanching takes just a few minutes and can make the difference between dull, limp florets and vibrant, delicious ones. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2025

Lake has never been able to exactly recreate that first black cake, which was so delicious, his friends still talk about it years later. —Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, "delightful to the senses, choice (of food, drink), loving luxury," borrowed from Anglo-French delicius, delicious (also continental Old French), borrowed from Late Latin dēliciōsus, from Latin dēlicia "pleasure, delight, (in plural) things affording pleasure, luxuries,culinary delicacies" (from dēlicere "to lure, entice" + -ia -ia entry 1) + -ōsus -ous — more at delight entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1898, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing delicious

• Red Delicious

Rhymes for delicious

• adventitious
• cementitious
• expeditious
• inauspicious
• injudicious
• meretricious
• repetitious
• superstitious
• surreptitious
• unambitious
• unpropitious
• unsuspicious

Kids Definition

delicious

1 of 2 adjective

de·​li·​cious di-ˈlish-əs 

: giving great pleasure : delightful

especially : very pleasing to the taste

deliciously adverb

deliciousness noun

Delicious

2 of 2 noun

De·​li·​cious

di-ˈlish-əs

plural Deliciouses or Delicious

: a sweet red or yellow apple of U.S. origin that has five bumps arranged around the end opposite the stem