What does delicious mean?
Delicious is an adjective describing something intensely pleasing to the senses, most commonly the sense of taste: a delicious meal is one whose flavors give genuine delight. The word also extends beyond food, describing anything deeply enjoyable — a delicious joke, a delicious piece of gossip, or a delicious turn of events, where it often implies a pleasurable sense of irony or mischief. Derived from the Latin deliciae, meaning delight or charm, it entered English via Old French and has carried its warm, indulgent connotation for centuries. Grammatically it behaves like a typical adjective, though idiom resists plain intensification: English speakers say something is absolutely or simply delicious rather than very delicious. Versatile and universally understood across the English-speaking world, delicious remains one of the most natural ways to express sensory or emotional pleasure, whether praising a home-cooked dish or savoring an amusing situation.
adjectiveHighly pleasing to the senses, especially to taste or smell. More broadly, it can describe anything delightful or extremely enjoyable.
- Pleasing to the taste or smell; having a very agreeable flavor.
- (Extended use) Highly enjoyable, delightful, or amusing — applied to experiences, gossip, irony, or situations rather than food.
"The chef served a delicious risotto made with saffron and fresh herbs."
"The soup was so delicious that she asked for the recipe before finishing her first bowl."
"He savored the delicious irony of the critic's own restaurant receiving terrible reviews."
Delicious once meant 'delighting the whole person' — it comes from a Latin verb for seducing or charming someone off their path entirely, not just their taste buds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of delicious
Delicious derives from the Latin deliciosus, meaning 'delightful' or 'luxurious,' itself formed from deliciae, 'delights' or 'charms,' which traces back to the delectare, 'to allure or charm.' The word passed through Old French délicieux before entering Middle English around the late fourteenth century, initially able to describe any source of great pleasure. Its cognates include delight and delicate, all stemming from the same Latin root of charming or enticing.
Related word forms
How delicious is actually used
Delicious is an everyday word with no strong register restrictions, though it is somewhat warmer and more enthusiastic than neutral alternatives like 'tasty.' It is rarely modified by degree adverbs such as 'very'; speakers instead favor intensifiers like 'absolutely' or 'utterly' ('absolutely delicious'). In figurative use, especially British English, it often carries a hint of relish at someone else's expense, as in 'delicious gossip.'
Easily confused with delicious
Malicious means intending harm or spite, while delicious means highly pleasant, especially in taste; the two rhyme but are opposites in spirit.
Delirious describes wild excitement or mental confusion (as from fever), whereas delicious describes sensory pleasure.