: relating to or associated with eating or the sense of taste

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Gustatory is a member of a finite set of words that describe the senses with which we encounter our world, the other members being visual, aural, olfactory, and tactile. Like its peers, gustatory has its roots in Latin—in this case, the Latin word gustare, meaning "to taste." Gustare is a somewhat distant relative of several common English words, among them choose and disgust, but it is a direct ancestor of gustatory, gustation, meaning "the act or sensation of tasting," and degustation, meaning "the action or an instance of tasting especially in a series of small portions."

Examples of gustatory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Then head a few miles east to the Chori-Man in San Pedro for a burrito that will blow your mind and gustatory sense. Laura Randall, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2024 Extreme gustatory indulgence is also popular at Milkcraft, which has locations in West Hartford Center, Fairfield and, most recently, New Haven. Deborah Hornblow, courant.com, 3 July 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1684, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gustatory was in 1684

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Cite this Entry

“Gustatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gustatory. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

gustatory

adjective
: relating to, associated with, or being the sense or sensation of taste

Medical Definition

gustatory

adjective
: relating to, affecting, associated with, or being the sense of taste
gustatory nerves
gustatory stimulation
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