delicious

1 of 3

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 3

noun (1)

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

deliciousness

3 of 3

noun (2)

de·​li·​cious·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being delicious : delight

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

Even Jack’s new invention, the electric mixer, couldn’t whip up a more delicious start. — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Food is simple but high quality, with a range of delicious jams, fresh pastries, yogurts, and granola. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026

My hearty pumpkin soup, served with a basket of delicious fresh bread, was the perfect start to the meal. — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 5 Nov. 2026

My colleagues in the Test Kitchen were floored by how delicious an overcooked vegetable can be—how the rabe became creamy like a green sauce, tangling around every other ingredient. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026

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

Noun (2)

Middle English deliciousnesse, from delicious + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

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