zest

noun

1
: a piece of the peel of a citrus fruit (such as an orange or lemon) used as flavoring
2
: an enjoyably exciting quality : piquancy
adds zest to the performance
3
: keen enjoyment : relish, gusto
has a zest for living
zestful adjective
zestfully adverb
zestfulness noun
zestless adjective

Did you know?

When life hands you lemons, the saying goes, make lemonade. The message of this zingy aphorism is to take situations that are metaphorically sour and make them sweeter. You could do this by squeezing entire lemons to restore some excitement and enjoyment to your life, but you could also just take a little of the zest. Zest of course, refers to tiny pieces of citrus rind that are used to brighten, or enhance, the flavor of food and beverages. English speakers adopted the French word zest (zeste in modern French) in the late 1600s with this meaning, but it didn’t take long for them to spice up their language with an additional sense referring to any quality that adds enjoyment to something in the same way that the zest of a citrus fruit adds flavor to food. Later they extended the word to gusto—that is, enthusiastic enjoyment—itself, whether it be gustatory or not.

Examples of zest in a Sentence

His humor added zest to the performance. His humor added a certain zest to the performance. The recipe calls for a tablespoon of lemon zest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Malting enhances esters in the rye, producing lighter fruity notes of apple, pear, and even citrus zest. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Lemon zest adds an element of brightness to recipes. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024 Then, a peeled and grated half-apple, orange juice, and orange zest are added to the pan to bring bursts of bright flavor to every spoonful. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Nov. 2024 Sweet vanilla fragrances are a dime a dozen, but each bottle still brings something unique to your olfactory senses—like a spiciness from pink pepper or a fruity feel from orange zest. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 25 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for zest 

Word History

Etymology

obsolete French (now zeste), orange or lemon peel (used as flavoring)

First Known Use

circa 1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of zest was circa 1674

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near zest

Cite this Entry

“Zest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zest. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

zest

noun
1
: a piece of the peel of a citrus fruit (as an orange or lemon) used as a flavoring
2
: a quality that increases enjoyment
added zest to the performance
3
: keen enjoyment : relish
has a zest for life
zestful adjective
zestfully adverb
zestfulness noun
zesty
ˈzes-tē
adjective
Etymology

from obsolete French zest (now zeste) "orange or lemon peel used for flavoring"

Word Origin
Zest was borrowed into English in the 17th century from the French zest (now spelled zeste), meaning "an orange or lemon peel." Where the French got the word we do not know. The peels of oranges and lemons are sometimes used to add flavor to food and drinks. The earliest uses of zest in English refer to the peel of such fruit used in this way. By the early 18th century, however, zest had developed another meaning. It was used to refer to a quality that adds enjoyment to something, in the same way that the zest of an orange or lemon adds flavor to food.

More from Merriam-Webster on zest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!