toothsome

adjective tooth·some \ ˈtüth-səm \

Updated on: 5 Mar 2018

Definition of toothsome

1 a : agreeable, attractive

b : sexually attractive

a toothsome blonde

2 : of palatable flavor and pleasing texture : delicious

crisp toothsome fried chicken

—

toothsomely

adverb

—

toothsomeness

noun

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Examples of toothsome in a Sentence

the movie star and his supermodel girlfriend are considered the most toothsome couple in Hollywood

Recent Examples of toothsome from the Web

Well, turns out this toothsome leafy green is also pretty good for your face.

— garrett munce, GQ, "The Best Sheet Masks Will Reboot Your Face," 2 Mar. 2018
But, let’s be real, most veggie-centric tacos lack the qualities that make the meaty versions great: that juicy, toothsome texture and deep umami flavor.

— danielle walsh, Bon Appetit, "A Vegetarian Chorizo Taco That Actually Tastes Like, Well, Chorizo," 13 Apr. 2017
Har gow, shrimp dumplings in a thick, toothsome translucent wrapper, were another basic item done very well.

— kate washington, sacbee, "Dining review: Yue Huang in Natomas ranks among the best in Sacramento area for dim sum | The Sacramento Bee," 27 Oct. 2017
Once roasted, serve your carrots over a golden, turmeric yogurt sauce, and sprinkle a mix of salted pumpkin seeds and mixed herbs on top for a toothsome crunch.

— folgers®simply gourmet™, Bon Appetit, "These Indian-Inspired Dishes Will Take You on a Flavor Trip, No Passport Required," 1 Sep. 2017
A host of cities and towns have adopted this delicious fruit (which, by the way, is not technically a berry) as their toothsome icon of excellence.

— logan jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "On Memorial Day Weekend, hearts are at half-staff but spirits light," 26 May 2017
But, let’s be real, most veggie-centric tacos lack the qualities that make the meaty versions great: that juicy, toothsome texture and deep umami flavor.

— danielle walsh, Bon Appetit, "A Vegan Chorizo Taco That Actually Tastes Like, Well, Chorizo," 13 Apr. 2017

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

Did You Know?

One meaning of tooth is "a fondness or taste for something specified." Toothsome comes from this definition of tooth plus the suffix -some, meaning "characterized by." Although toothsome was at first used to describe general attractiveness, it quickly developed a second sense that was specific to the sense of taste (perhaps because from as far back as Chaucer’s time, tooth could also refer specifically to eating and the sense of taste). In addition, toothsome is now showing signs of acquiring a third sense, toothy (as in "a toothsome grin"), but this sense is not yet established enough to qualify for dictionary entry.

First Known Use of toothsome

1551

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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toothsome Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of toothsome

palatable, appetizing, savory, tasty, toothsome mean agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste. palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable.