great-tasting

The compound adjective 'great-tasting' is a modern formation that combines two elements with distinct historical lineages to express a subjective sensory evaluation. The first element, 'great,' originates from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "coarse" or "thick," which evolved in English to signify large size, high degree, or excellence, functioning here as an intensifier. The second element, 'tasting,' derives from a Germanic root meaning "to touch" or "handle," which entered English via Old French and narrowed in meaning to specifically refer to perceiving flavor. The logical construction follows a simple pattern where 'great' amplifies the positive quality denoted by the sensory verb 'taste,' resulting in the meaning "having a flavor that is perceived as highly pleasant."

Structure: great (large, intense) + tasting (perceiving flavor) - great: From Old English 'grēat' (coarse, thick, massive), of Germanic origin. Functions as an intensifier meaning "to a large degree" or "of high quality." - tasting: From Old French 'taster' (to touch, try, taste), of Germanic origin. The suffix '-ing' forms the present participle, here used adjectivally to mean "having the quality of."