gourmet (n.)

"connoisseur in eating and drinking," 1820, from French gourmet, altered (by influence of gourmant "glutton") from Old French groume, originally "wine-taster, wine merchant's servant" (in 13c. "a lad generally"), a word of uncertain origin. As an adjective from 1900. Compare groom (n.1). For sense distinction, see gourmand.

Entries linking to gourmet

groom (n.1)

c. 1200 (late 12c. in surnames), grome "male child, boy;" c. 1300, "a youth, young man," also "male servant, attendant, minor officer in a royal or noble household ranking higher than a page; a knight's squire." Of unknown origin; no certain cognates in other Germanic languages. Perhaps from an unrecorded Old English *grom, *groma, which could be related to growan "to grow," and influenced by guma "man." Or perhaps from or influenced by Old French grommet "boy, young man in service, serving-man" (compare Middle English gromet "ship's boy," early 13c.). As the title of an officer of the English royal house from mid-15c. Specific meaning "male servant who attends to horses and stables" is from 1660s, from earlier combinations such as horse-groom, Groom of the Stables, etc.

gourmand (n.)

late 15c., gourmaunt, "glutton," from Old French gormant "glutton," originally an adjective, "gluttonous," a word of uncertain origin. Not considered to be connected with gourmet. Meaning "one fond of good eating" is from 1758.

The gourmand is one whose chief pleasure is eating; but a gourmet is a connoisseur of food and wines. In England the difference is this: a gourmand regards quantity more than quality, a gourmet quality more than quantity. [Brewer, "Dictionary of Phrase and Fable," Philadelphia, 1898]

Others are reading

Share gourmet

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/gourmet

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/gourmet">Etymology of gourmet by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of gourmet. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/gourmet

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of gourmet,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/gourmet.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of gourmet.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/gourmet. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of gourmet.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/gourmet (accessed $(datetime)).

Definitions of gourmet

gourmet (n.)

a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink);

Synonyms: epicure / gastronome / bon vivant / epicurean / foodie

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near gourmet

goulash

gourami

gourd

gourmand

gourmandize

gourmet

gout

gouty

govern

governable

governance