delicious

[ dih-lish-uhs ]

adjective

1. highly pleasing to the senses, especially to taste or smell:

   a delicious dinner;

   a delicious aroma.

   Synonyms: delicate, dainty, delectable, savory, palatable

   Antonyms: unpleasant

2. very pleasing; delightful:

   a delicious sense of humor.

noun

1. (initial capital letter) a red or yellow variety of apple, cultivated in the U.S.

delicious

/ dɪˈlɪʃəs /

adjective

1. very appealing to the senses, esp to the taste or smell
2. extremely enjoyable or entertaining

   a delicious joke

Derived Forms

• deˈliciously, adverb
• deˈliciousness, noun

Other Words From

• de·licious·ly adverb
• de·licious·ness noun
• hyper·de·licious adjective
• hyper·de·licious·ly adverb
• hyper·de·licious·ness noun
• over·de·licious adjective
• over·de·licious·ly adverb
• over·de·licious·ness noun
• unde·licious adjective
• unde·licious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of delicious¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin dēliciōsus, equivalent to Latin dēliciae “delight” + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of delicious¹

C13: from Old French, from Late Latin dēliciōsus, from Latin dēliciae delights, charms, from dēlicere to entice; see delight

Synonym Study

Delicious, luscious refer to that which is especially agreeable to the senses. That which is delicious is highly agreeable to the taste or sometimes to the smell: a delicious meal. Luscious implies such a luxuriant fullness or ripeness as to make an object rich: a luscious banana; a luscious beauty; luscious music.

Example Sentences

“And it's a reliable crowd pleaser that turns out delicious every single time.”

From Salon

They had a duty to warn since 2015, but the ratings were just too delicious.

From Salon

We agree though that the little pancake was delicious.

From Los Angeles Times

During the last minutes when my soup is almost ready and I taste to make final adjustments, I am always astounded that such few ingredients can yield something so sublimely delicious.

From Salon

People ate from a buffet from The Park’s Finest, the delicious Filipino barbecue spot run by a friend of hers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appetizing
• delectable
• delightful
• distinctive
• enjoyable
• enticing
• exquisite
• heavenly
• luscious
• piquant
• pleasant
• rich
• savory
• spicy
• sweet
• tasty
• tempting
• yummy

How Do You Spell Delicious?

Spelling tips for delicious

The word delicious is hard to spell because it is spelled very differently from the way it is pronounced [ dih-lish–uhs ]. 

How to spell delicious: A deli is a place that sells sandwiches with Cheese, Iceberg lettuce, Onions, and Usually Salami (-CIOUS). This tasty sentence reminds you how to spell deli-cious.