taste

1 of 2

verb

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

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
Seaweed Cappelletti Helmed by husband-and-wife chefs Margarita Kallas-Lee and Phillip Frankland Lee, Pasta Bar in Austin, Texas, is ten-seat, tasting menu restaurant. Kaila Yu, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 One of the winery’s tasting rooms is in a historic former Chevrolet building. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 29 Sep. 2024
Noun
Lando Norris offers a taste of the fast life as a Formula 1 superstar in Tumi’s newest travel campaign. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Oct. 2024 Rely On Human Instinct At the risk of stating the obvious, generative AI has no taste. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for taste 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'taste.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of taste was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near taste

Cite this Entry

“Taste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taste. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

taste

1 of 2 verb
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
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

More from Merriam-Webster on taste

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!