delicious

1 of 2

adjective

de·​li·​cious di-ˈli-shəs How to pronounce delicious (audio)
Synonyms of deliciousnext
1
: appealing to one of the bodily senses especially of taste or smell
a delicious meal
delicious aromas
2
: affording great pleasure : delightful
a delicious bit of gossip
deliciously adverb
deliciousness noun

Delicious

2 of 2

noun

plural Deliciouses or Delicious
: a sweet red or yellow eating apple of U.S. origin that has a crown of five rounded prominences on the end opposite the stem

Examples of delicious in a Sentence

Adjective This is the most delicious ice cream I have ever eaten. Delicious aromas were floating from the kitchen. a delicious bit of gossip
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.
Adjective
Ahead, discover our perfect Mother’s Day gifts for every type of mom, including design-forward decor, luxurious linens, delicious fragrances, accents for the outdoors, and even a few last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas (After all, a gift box goes a long way). Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 1 May 2026 Their 2022 Pinot Noir has enticing aromas of cherry cola, cinnamon, and red raspberry that lead to delicious flavors of cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and brown baking spices. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 1 May 2026 The fruit slices on top are also fresh and delicious. Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 May 2026 Wingardium leviosa your way to some delicious sweets with this Harry Potter Chocolate Wand . Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for delicious

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, "delightful to the senses, choice (of food, drink), loving luxury," borrowed from Anglo-French delicius, delicious (also continental Old French), borrowed from Late Latin dēliciōsus, from Latin dēlicia "pleasure, delight, (in plural) things affording pleasure, luxuries,culinary delicacies" (from dēlicere "to lure, entice" + -ia -ia entry 1) + -ōsus -ous — more at delight entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of delicious was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delicious. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

delicious

1 of 2 adjective
de·​li·​cious di-ˈlish-əs How to pronounce delicious (audio)
: giving great pleasure : delightful
especially : very pleasing to the taste
deliciously adverb
deliciousness noun

Delicious

2 of 2 noun
De·​li·​cious
di-ˈlish-əs
plural Deliciouses or Delicious
: a sweet red or yellow apple of U.S. origin that has five bumps arranged around the end opposite the stem

More from Merriam-Webster on delicious

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster