sweet tooth

American  

noun

1. a liking or craving for candy and other sweets.

---

sweet tooth British  

noun

1. a strong liking for sweet foods

---

sweet tooth Idioms  

1. A love for sugary foods, as in You can always please Nell with cake or ice cream; she has a big sweet tooth. This expression dates from the late 1300s, although it then referred not only to sweets but other delicacies as well.

---

Etymology

Origin of sweet tooth

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

"They are too sweet for me," Alina says, "and I have a sweet tooth."

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Candy Warehouse caters to an array of establishments, including restaurants, theme parks, healthcare facilities, candy shops and hotels, as well as individuals with a sweet tooth.

From Salon • Oct. 29, 2025

My grandmother supplied my sweet tooth with cookies and chocolate at every visit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

If you have a sweet tooth, you should definitely check your pantries and your refrigerators.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2025

In search of an informant, she worked over Louie’s schoolmates with homemade pie and turned up a soft boy named Hugh, whose sweet tooth was Louie’s undoing.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand