Word of the Day

: March 24, 2011

toothsome

adjective TOOTH-sum

What It Means

1 a : agreeable, attractive

b : sexually attractive

2 : of palatable flavor and pleasing texture : delicious

toothsome in Context

The cookbook has recipes for a number of toothsome Italian dishes, including one for gnocchi in Bolognese sauce.

"I had never had hominy and I instantly fell in love with the white, toothsome corn." -- From a dining review by Tanya Henry in the Marin Independent Journal (California), February 2, 2011

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.