Choose the Right Synonym for epicure

epicure, gourmet, gourmand, gastronome mean one who takes pleasure in eating and drinking. epicure implies fastidiousness and voluptuousness of taste. gourmet implies being a connoisseur in food and drink and the discriminating enjoyment of them. gourmand implies a hearty appetite for good food and drink, not without discernment, but with less than a gourmet's. gastronome implies that one has studied extensively the history and rituals of haute cuisine.

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The word epicure is currently associated with indulging the appetite, but that is a long way from the teachings of the man to whom we owe the word. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus taught a philosophy of simple pleasure, friendship, and a secluded life. He believed in the pursuit of pleasure, but pleasure for him equated with tranquility and freedom from pain—not the indulgence of the senses. However, detractors of Epicurus in his own time and later reduced his notions of pleasure to material and sensual gratification. When epicure entered English in the 16th century, the philosophy of Epicurus had been trivialized, and so the word became synonymous with “hedonist.”

Examples of epicure in a Sentence

Thomas Jefferson was one of America's first great epicures.

Recent Examples on the Web We’ve been subjected to the bottom of the barrel: cheap, salty, scratchy little things that any epicure would despise. — Ruth Reichl, Town & Country, 28 Feb. 2021 All kinds of scams proliferate in the truffle world’s lawless climate, fed by the appetites of epicures and consumers of culinary bling alike, and most of us are mycologically illiterate—and thus easily duped. — Eugenia Bone, WSJ, 10 July 2019 Victoria has numerous tea rooms, many geared to budget-conscious epicures like us, Charlie and Jean told us. — Roy Harris Jr., latimes.com, 20 May 2018 Covington's cognoscente, epicures, glitterati, and connoisseurs all met at Grand Tasting 2018, part of the week-long celebration A Taste of Covington sponsored by the Covington Business Association. — Ann Benoit, NOLA.com, 6 May 2018 All kinds of scams proliferate in the truffle world’s lawless climate, fed by the appetites of epicures and consumers of culinary bling alike, and most of us are mycologically illiterate—and thus easily duped. — Eugenia Bone, WSJ, 10 July 2019 Victoria has numerous tea rooms, many geared to budget-conscious epicures like us, Charlie and Jean told us. — Roy Harris Jr., latimes.com, 20 May 2018 Covington's cognoscente, epicures, glitterati, and connoisseurs all met at Grand Tasting 2018, part of the week-long celebration A Taste of Covington sponsored by the Covington Business Association. — Ann Benoit, NOLA.com, 6 May 2018 Unfortunately for New York’s epicures, DiSpirito hasn’t been in a restaurant kitchen since 2004. — Michelle Weber, Longreads, 10 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'epicure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.