What does gormandise mean?
Gormandise is a chiefly British verb meaning to eat greedily and voraciously, usually with conspicuous disregard for moderation or manners. It describes ravenous eating rather than ordinary appetite, and its slightly comic, literary tone can suggest someone behaving as though the food might be taken away. The verb is often used intransitively, including with on: “The hungry guests gormandised on roast chicken.” In North American English, gormandize is the more familiar spelling, though the -ise form is also understood. Although now uncommon in everyday speech, the word comes from the same French root as gourmand, which can denote a greedy eater or a lover of good food, and gourmet, a connoisseur of food. Gormandise is useful when the speaker wants to portray eating as excessive, comic, or socially unrestrained rather than merely enthusiastic.
verbTo eat greedily or voraciously, especially with conspicuous disregard for moderation or restraint.
- To eat greedily or voraciously, especially with disregard for moderation or restraint.
"After the long walk, the hungry hikers gormandised on bread, cheese and apples."
"The hungry students gormandised on everything left in the kitchen."
"In the comic novel, the children gormandised on the remains of the feast."
Gormandise is a deliciously old-fashioned alarm for anyone who treats the dining table like a race.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gormandise come from?
The verb entered English from French gormandiser, formed from gormand, meaning a glutton or greedy eater, with the suffix -iser. It is attested in English from the early 17th century and is now chiefly associated with the British spelling, while gormandize is usual in North America. Its relatives include gourmand and gourmet, both borrowed through French from the same French root; the French noun gourmandise also preserves the idea of gluttony.
Related word forms
How gormandise is actually used
The word is now uncommon in everyday British English and has a literary, humorous, or mildly disparaging tone. It is normally used intransitively, often with on, and is less neutral than ordinary phrases such as eat enthusiastically.
Easily confused with gormandise
Gourmandise is a noun meaning a tendency or appetite for eating greedily, whereas gormandise is the verb meaning to eat greedily.