gourmand

noun

ˈgu̇r-ˌmänd How to pronounce gourmand (audio)
Definition of gourmandnext
1
as in gourmet
a person with refined tastes in food and wine a finicky gourmand who vacationed in Europe every year simply for the wine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pig
one who eats greedily or too much the kind of gourmand who swallows food without even pausing to taste it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun gourmand contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of gourmand are epicure, gastronome, and gourmet. While all these words mean "one who takes pleasure in eating and drinking," gourmand implies a hearty appetite for good food and drink, not without discernment, but with less than a gourmet's.

When would epicure be a good substitute for gourmand?

The synonyms epicure and gourmand are sometimes interchangeable, but epicure implies fastidiousness and voluptuousness of taste.

When can gastronome be used instead of gourmand?

Although the words gastronome and gourmand have much in common, gastronome implies that one has studied extensively the history and rituals of haute cuisine.

When could gourmet be used to replace gourmand?

The meanings of gourmet and gourmand largely overlap; however, gourmet implies being a connoisseur in food and drink and the discriminating enjoyment of them.

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of gourmand The gourmand fragrance pairs creamy vanilla with sea salt and smooth sandalwood, creating a scent that feels more like warm skin after a beach day. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 June 2026 The new edible notes are warmer, richer and far more grown-up than the cotton candy era that defined early 2010s gourmands. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026 And the scent, which was created by Olivier Cresp and features notes of vanilla, praline, and red fruits, was the first modern gourmand, setting off a trend that still holds over three decades later. — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 27 June 2026 The fragrance industry is witnessing a profound reinvention of gourmand scents, moving beyond simple sweetness to sophisticated, emotionally complex accords. — Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gourmand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gourmand
  1. epicure
  2. pig
  3. epicurean
  4. gastronome
Noun
  • And now, with a myriad of buzzy new restaurants helmed by some of France’s top chefs and curious creatives from around the world eager to experiment with the territory’s rich ingredients, Biarritz is becoming an epicure’s paradise in its own right.
    — Monica Mendal, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The epicure who dreamed up this last part was, allegedly, a priest.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of epicure
Noun
  • The same scalpel or bone saw that cut a human also cleft sheep, horses, pigs and other animals in distress.
    — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • Alpha-gal syndrome is caused by ticks, usually the lone star tick, that have previously fed on mammals like cows, deer, goats and pigs.
    — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 2 July 2026
Definition of pig
Noun
  • Go on fungi-finding forays with truffle-sniffing dogs at the Oregon Truffle Festival, or attend epicurean bashes like Alt Wine Fest, Queer Wine Fest, AAPI Food & Wine Festival, and the International Pinot Noir Celebration.
    — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026
  • For example, every state seems to have a signature epicurean specialty, such as Cochinita Pibil, a stew of pork slow-roasted in a banana leaf and Sopa de Lima, a traditional lime soup made with chicken or beef and served with tortilla chips.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of epicurean
Noun
  • Founded in 2017 by three Italian food journalists and gastronomes, Luciano Pignataro, Albert Sapere and Barbara Guerra, 50 Top Pizza ranks pizzas around the world.
    — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 2 June 2026
  • For specialty dining, gastronomes will geek out at Chef Daniel Boulud’s signature Le Voyage completely redesigned in a new color palette with a private dining room.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026
Definition of gastronome

Browse Nearby Words

go up in flames
gourmand
gourmandism
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Gourmand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gourmand. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gourmand

Nglish: Translation of gourmand for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All