taste
taste
UK[teɪst]US[teɪst]
n
the particular quality that different foods and drinks have that allows you to recognize them when you put them in your mouth
n
the ability to recognize the difference between good and bad quality, especially in art, style, beauty, etc.
v
to have a particular flavour
v
to experience the flavour of something by eating or drinking a small amount of it
Etymology
the word "taste" entered english in the early 14th century from the old french "taster," meaning to touch, try, taste, or sample. this old french term likely evolved from vulgar latin "tastare," a frequentative form based on latin "tangere," meaning "to touch." the semantic journey from the physical act of touching to the specific sense of perceiving flavor illustrates a common metaphorical shift, where a general sensory verb becomes specialized. the modern abstract meanings, such as aesthetic judgment, developed in the late 17th century, extending the metaphor of sensory discernment to the intellectual and cultural realms.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form derived from a single old french root. it is not productively divisible into meaningful substrings in modern english.
Examples
the soup has a slightly spicy taste.
she has excellent taste in classical music.
taste the sauce and tell me if it needs more salt.