delicious
adjUK /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/ · US /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/
Etymology From Middle English delicious, from Anglo-Norman delicious, from Old French delicious, delicieux, from Late Latin dēliciōsus (“delicate, delicious”), from dēliciae (“delights”), plural of dēlicia (“pleasure”), from delicere (“to allure, to entice”), from de- (“away”) + laciō (“to lure, deceive”), from Proto-Italic *lakjō (“to draw, pull”), of unknown ultimate origin. Displaced native Old English ārlīċ (“delicious”).
1
Pleasing to the sense of taste; tasty.
- It was quite dark by the time Tarzan had gorged himself. Ah, but it had been delicious! Never had he quite accustomed himself to the ruined flesh that civilized men had served him, and in the bottom of his savage heart there had constantly been the craving for the warm meat of the fresh kill, and the rich, red blood.1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 120:
- After the sugar beets are strained, pour in a large amount of honey and let it rest for thirty minutes. This will form the base for our delicious honey tender.1876 July 8, Christopher E. Benck, Recipes for traditional English foods:
2
Colloquial, Figuratively Pleasing to a person's taste; pleasing to the eyes or mind.
- The irony is delicious!
- Nymphidia is a delicious piece of airy and fanciful invention.1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 151:
2 more examples
- But the houses are so delicious and the way they're townscaped on to hilly bits is absolutely wonderful.1986, Patrick Lichfield, Courvoisier's Book of the Best, page 230:
- Jones had not travelled far before he paid his compliments to that beautiful planet, and, turning to his companion, asked him if he had ever beheld so delicious an evening?1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
3
Slang Having tremendous sex appeal.
- Synonyms
29 terms
ambrosial, appetizing, dainty, delectable, delicious, delish, exquisite, finger-lickin' good, flavorful, flavorous, flavorsome, gustful, lekker, lickerish, lip-smacking, luscious, moreish, mouthwatering, nummy, ono, palatable, sapid, savory, scrummy, tasteful, tasty, toothful, toothsome, yummy- Antonyms
- disgusting, distasteful, nontasty, undelicious, unpalatable, untasty, yucky
- Derived terms
- bodalicious, chocolicious, deliciously, deliciousness, delish, delumptious, fabulicious, it was delicious, -licious, overdelicious, red delicious, sacrilicious, scrumplicious, sexalicious, superdelicious, uber-delicious, undelicious, yummylicious
- Related terms
- attractive