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delectable

delectable

12 5.1
Very pleasant to taste, especially of food or drink
  • adjective
  • /dɪˈlɛktəbl/
translation icon : delicioso
  • The restaurant was always cheery, and the delectable sight of steaming pasta being carried from the kitchen lifted Sarah's spirits.

And these are the crunchiest, most delectable sweet potato fries I've ever had.

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Examples

  • This festival is known for both its colorful kites... and its delectable sweets.

  • And these are the crunchiest, most delectable sweet potato fries I've ever had.

  • This is truly, truly delectable, you guys.

  • What is that delectable smell?

  • Here are a few reasons I can think of to purchase this delectable sweet!

    Blog text (18)
  • We wanted to bring them a delectable little snack.

  • When I saw the photo for these delectable little fall treats, I knew I had to make them.

    Blog text (4)
  • And Robert whipped up a delectable lunch that we enjoyed on their glass balcony.

    Blog text (13)
  • It's a typical Parisian bakery, stuffed to the ceiling with an unbelievable array of the finest, most delectable pastries.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • The chef prepared a delectable dessert that everyone enjoyed at the dinner party.

Synonyms

delicious
vsdelectable
419 1.0

Very pleasant to taste

is slightly more elegant or literary in tone
delightful
vsdelectable
202 2.0

Something very pleasant that makes you happy

is specifically focused on intense pleasure from taste alone
tasty
vsdelectable
175 1.0

Food or drink with a pleasant flavor that people enjoy

is stronger praise that expresses extreme pleasure in taste
yummy
vsdelectable
  • Informal
106 6.1

Very tasty and pleasant to eat

is more refined and less casual in everyday use
palatable
vsdelectable
31 4.9

Pleasant to taste or acceptable to most people

expresses a much stronger and exceptional taste enjoyment
flavorful
vsdelectable
  • US
18 2.3

Having a strong, pleasant taste

refers to top-level pleasing taste rather than distinctiveness alone
scrumptious
vsdelectable
17 3.7

Very tasty and pleasant to eat

is similar but often sounds more refined or formal
luscious
vsdelectable
14 4.3

Having a very rich, sweet taste or smell that feels pleasant

is more general praise without implying richness or sweetness
delish
vsdelectable
  • Informal
6 8.8

Very tasty and pleasant to eat

is more polished and slightly more formal in expression
mouthwatering
vsdelectable
4 3.2

So good in smell or look that you want to eat it

refers to the intense pleasure actually felt when tasting
ambrosial
vsdelectable
1 8.6

Very pleasing to the taste or smell, like delicious food

focuses more narrowly on refined taste without heavenly emphasis
toothsome
vsdelectable
  • Archaic
1 7.2

Tasty and pleasant to eat

places more emphasis on refined pleasure rather than mere appetite
flavorsome
vsdelectable
  • US
1 4.3

Having a strong and pleasant taste

focuses more on overall supreme pleasure in tasting
scrummy and delicious
vsdelectable
  • UK
7.1

Very tasty and pleasant to eat

is comparable but fits slightly more polished usage
nectarous
vsdelectable
  • Literature
8.4

Very sweet and nice to taste and smell

covers excellent taste more broadly, not only sweet cases
pleasant-tasting
vsdelectable
3.0

A food or drink with a nice taste that people enjoy

expresses a much stronger, highly pleasing taste experience
appetible
vsdelectable
  • Archaic
9.9

Having a good taste that makes you want to eat it

focuses more on intense sensory pleasure rather than mere appetite
simply sinful
vsdelectable
  • Informal
5.6

Tastes very rich and is almost too good to resist

praises taste without the moral or excessive indulgence angle

Antonyms

11 4.5

Not safe to eat because it can make you sick

4 4.8

Not looking, smelling, or tasting good so you do not want to eat it

How Tasty

scrumptious
17 3.7
delectable
12 5.1
tasty
175 1.0
bland
23 2.0

Surface Forms

delectable positive

Morphology

delectable = delight (semi-transparent) = delect + able

The suffix '-able' clearly signals an adjectival meaning, but the stem 'delect-' is a Latin-derived combining form not recognized by most learners; its similarity to 'delight' makes the sense somewhat guessable.

Etymology

Delectable comes from the old Latin word delectare, which means 'to please' and is like the English word delight. So calling food delectable means it 'pleases' your taste and is very tasty.