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zest
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- pronunciation:
- zest
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun), Word History
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
great pleasure; keen enjoyment; relish.
The elderly woman's zest for living made her seem much younger.He set to work on the project with great zest.- synonyms:
- gusto, relish
- antonyms:
- apathy
- similar words:
- élan, animation, appetite, delight, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, exhilaration, exuberance, joie de vivre, joy, passion, pleasure, taste, verve, zeal
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| definition 2: |
sharpness or intensity of flavor.
This salad dressing has a lot of zest!- synonyms:
- nip, piquancy, pungency, tang
- antonyms:
- blandness
- similar words:
- bite, flavor, kick, savor, spice
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| definition 3: |
excitement; interest.
This room used to be so dull; the new bright colors give it some zest.She bought a sexy red dress to add a little zest to her wardrobe.You should go out more and put some zest back into your life.- synonyms:
- excitement, interest, spice
- similar words:
- life, vitality, zip
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| definition 4: |
the topmost layer of the peel of a lemon, lime, orange or other citrus fruit, often grated and used to add flavor to foods.
The pie recipe calls for the zest of one lemon. |
| related words: |
penchant |
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| derivations: |
zestful (adj.), zesty (adj.), zestfully (adv.), zestfulness (n.) |
Zest was borrowed into English in the 17th century from the French word zest that means "orange or lemon peel." By the end of the18th century, it was being used to mean "keen enjoyment."
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