Word of the Day
: September 29, 2021zest
playWhat It Means
Zest means "keen enjoyment" or "an enjoyably exciting quality."
// The young couple has a zest for travel and adventure.
// The seasoning added zest to the otherwise bland dish.
zest in Context
"It has always seemed bizarre to me to start talking about the coming winter in August. But this is Jackson Hole, and the zest for snow never seems to end." — Jim Woodmencey, The Jackson Hole (Wyoming) News and Guide, 25 Aug. 2021
Did You Know?
Zest can spice up your life—fitting for a word that English acquired from the world of cooking. Zest comes from French zeste, the name for orange or lemon peel used to flavor food or drinks. English speakers adopted the French meaning and developed an additional one referring to any quality that adds enjoyment to something in the same way that the zest of an orange or lemon adds flavor to food.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Quiz
Fill in the blanks to complete an adjective that means "lacking zest": _ _ c _ _ _ a _ s _ _ al.
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