What does delish mean?
"Delish" is an informal adjective meaning delicious — used to describe food or drink that tastes very good. It arose as a clipped, shortened form of "delicious" and retains all of that word's positive force while adding a breezy, playful tone. Because it is colloquial, it appears most often in casual conversation, menus, cookbooks with a friendly voice, food blogs, social media captions, and advertising, where its snappy sound suits lighthearted praise: "The soup was absolutely delish." Writers generally avoid it in formal prose, reserving it for contexts that welcome an informal register. Its charm lies in its economy — a single brisk syllable delivering full approval — and in the way it signals enthusiasm without pretension. Related words sharing the same Latin root include "delicious," "delicacy," "delight," and "delectable." For anyone writing or speaking casually about food, "delish" is a compact, vivid way to convey genuine enjoyment.
adjectiveInformal short form of "delicious," describing food or drink that tastes very good.
- (of food or drink) tasting very good; delicious — used informally
"That lemon tart was absolutely delish."
"The street tacos were so delish we ordered seconds."
"She posted a photo of the cake captioned "simple but totally delish.""
"Delish" is what happens when English gets hungry and impatient — a whole syllable of "delicious" chewed off for speed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of delish
"Delish" originated as a colloquial clipping of "delicious," which itself derives from the Latin "deliciosus" (pleasing, delightful), from "deliciae" meaning delight or pleasure. The clipped form emerged in informal American English in the late 19th or early 20th century and spread through casual speech and later popular culture. It shares its ultimate root with related borrowings from the same Latin source, including "delicacy," "delight," and "delectable."
How delish is actually used
"Delish" is distinctly informal and conversational, common in speech, food blogging, social media, and advertising. It is generally avoided in formal writing, where "delicious" is preferred. It carries a light, playful connotation rather than a neutral descriptive one. The clipped form is used in both British and American English, though it is especially associated with American casual usage.
Easily confused with delish
"Delish" is a casual clipped form of the standard word "delicious" and is appropriate only in informal speech and writing.