degust
- To taste food or drink carefully and with close attention, savoring its qualities in the manner of a formal tasting.
In a sentence
- The sommelier invited the guests to degust each wine slowly, noting the transition from the initial burst of fruit to the dry finish.
- They spent an afternoon degusting a selection of local cheeses, pausing between each to cleanse the palate.
Usage note. Degust and the related noun 'degustation' are formal, often culinary terms; 'degustation menu' (a tasting menu of many small courses) is the most common collocation in modern usage.
Where it comes from
English degust · entered English 17th c.
From Latin 'degustare,' meaning to taste, sample, or take a taste of, composed of 'de-' (from, thoroughly) and 'gustare' (to taste), which is related to 'gustus' (taste). The word entered English in the 17th century and shares its root with 'gusto,' 'disgust,' and 'gustation.' It has always been a somewhat formal or literary term.