taste

1 of 2

verb

ˈtāst 

tasted; tasting

transitive verb

1

: to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth

2

: to eat or drink especially in small quantities

3

: to perceive or recognize as if by the sense of taste

4

: to become acquainted with by experience

has tasted the frustration of defeat

5

archaic : appreciate, enjoy

intransitive verb

1

: to have a specific flavor

the apple tastes sour

2

: to eat or drink a little

3

: to test the flavor of something by taking a small part into the mouth

4

: to have perception, experience, or enjoyment : partake

—often used with of

taste

2 of 2

noun

plural tastes

1

a

: the special sense that perceives and distinguishes the sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance and is mediated by taste buds on the tongue

b

: the objective sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance as perceived by the sense of taste

c

: a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is typically produced by the stimulation of the sense of taste combined with those of touch and smell : flavor

2

: the distinctive quality of an experience

The way we were treated left a bad taste in my mouth [=made me feel disgusted, bitter, etc.]

3

a

: a small amount tasted

b

: a small amount : bit

especially : a sample of experience

her first taste of success

c

obsolete : the act of tasting

4

: individual preference : inclination

5

a

: critical judgment, discernment, or appreciation

b

: manner or aesthetic quality indicative of such discernment or appreciation

6

obsolete : test

Synonyms

Verb

• endure
• experience
• feel
• have
• know
• pass
• see
• suffer
• sustain
• undergo
• witness

Noun

• flavor
• savor
• savour

Examples of taste in a Sentence

Verb

The pie tasted too sweet.

The wine tastes like vinegar.

She said there was garlic in the sauce, but I couldn't really taste it.

Have you ever tasted anything so delicious?

I tasted the tea and put more sugar in it.

She offered to taste the wine.

He tasted the tea to see if it was sweet enough.

This is the first food I've tasted since yesterday.

She talked about the day when she first tasted the joy of flying.

He has tasted the frustration of defeat.

Noun

The wine had a slightly bitter taste.

She likes the taste of apples and cinnamon.

I detected a strong taste of ginger in the sauce.

The illness affected her sense of taste.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

However, the plants grown in this system grew well and tasted delicious. —Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024

Squeeze in a little lemon juice, then taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed. —Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024

After tasting the dishes, the judges couldn’t find the through line. —Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024

Well, that's exactly what this chicken tastes like. —The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024

How do users feel about their music tastes influencing shopping experiences? —Erik Huberman, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024

The coffee tastes fine and the eggs came out of a bird. —Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024

This 300-acre winery has some of the best views around and is a must-visit for a range of tasting rooms to accommodate groups of all sizes. —Patrice J. Williams, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024

The addition of tangy goat cheese and hazelnut dressing to the latter creates a salad that would taste at home on either river bank in Paris. —Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

Noun

Other curry powders have different tastes and spice blends. —Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 13 Apr. 2024

Her inquisitiveness led her to delve deep into the recipes and flavors that make this part of France so distinct, including a taste for blending savory and sweet flavors as in the sweet Swiss chard pie, or tourte de blettes sucrée, seen in many traditional Niçoise bakeries. —Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024

However, as human taste for these cephalopods grows, it’s become a problem to meet demand. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Apr. 2024

Shave ice first reached the islands’ shores in the early 20th century, when Japanese immigrants arrived to work on Hawaii’s plantations, bringing with them a taste for kakigori, the sweet, airy dessert made of thin ice flakes with origins dating back to the Heian period (between 794 and 1185). —Matthew Dekneef, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024

In order to pay Linda back, Paulette promises to cook her chicken with peppers — a dish that was Giulio’s specialty before his demise, and thus carries the taste of trauma for mother and daughter alike. —Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024

Get The Recipe 07 of 28 Mini Coconut-Key Lime Pies Give Mama a taste of the tropics with these bite-sized Key lime pies that are easy to serve and make ahead. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2024

The pictures in this show depict streets in French cities and towns as well as in London and Venice. Plenty of late 19th-century artists indulged a sentimental taste for picturesque images of street life. —Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024

Explore Travis Scott See latest videos, charts and news The Houston rapper brought a taste of Utopia to the Saturday Night Live stage with the two album tracks for the March 30 episode of the NBC late-night sketch comedy show. —Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to touch, test, taste, from Anglo-French taster, from Vulgar Latin *taxitare, frequentative of Latin taxare to touch, feel — more at tax entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4c

Phrases Containing taste

• a matter of taste
• a taste/dose of someone's own medicine
• in (very) bad/poor taste
• for someone's taste
• matter of taste
• acquired taste
• leave a bad taste in someone's mouth
• left a bad taste in my mouth
• taste bud
• taste of things to come
• to someone's taste
• there's no accounting for taste
• to taste
• popular taste
• taste blood
• in good taste
• season to taste

Kids Definition

taste

1 of 2 verb

ˈtāst 

tasted; tasting

1

: experience entry 2, undergo

taste the joy of flying

2

: to test the flavor of something by taking a little into the mouth

3

: to eat or drink especially in small quantities

4

: to recognize by or as if by the sense of taste

can taste the onion in it

5

: to have a specific flavor

this milk tastes sour

taste

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a small amount tasted

b

: a small sample of experience

her first taste of success

2

: the sense that recognizes and tells apart the sweet, sour, bitter, or salty quality of a dissolved substance and is controlled by taste buds on the tongue

3

a

: the quality of a dissolved substance that can be identified by the sense of taste

b

: a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is usually produced by the sense of taste in combination with those of touch and smell : flavor

4

: a personal liking

had expensive tastes

5

a

: the ability to choose and enjoy what is good and beautiful

a person of taste

b

: aesthetic quality : style

in bad taste

Medical Definition

taste

1 of 2 verb

ˈtāst 

tasted; tasting

transitive verb

: to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth

intransitive verb

: to have a specific flavor

the milk tastes sour

taste

2 of 2 noun

1

: the one of the special senses that is concerned with distinguishing the sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance and is mediated by taste buds on the tongue

2

: the objective sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance as perceived by the sense of taste

3

: a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is typically produced by the stimulation of the sense of taste combined with those of touch and smell : flavor