le goûter

Definition & meaning

The word goûter has two primary meanings depending on whether it is used as a verb or a noun:

1. As a verb: To taste or to sample food or drink. It can also mean to experience or enjoy something (e.g., goûter au bonheur - to experience happiness).
2. As a noun: A snack or afternoon tea. In French culture, this refers to a light meal typically eaten by children after school or by adults in the late afternoon, usually consisting of sweet items like bread, chocolate, or fruit.

Grammar & Word origin

• Grammar:
  • As a verb, it is a regular first-group verb (-er ending). It can be used transitively (goûter un plat) or intransitively with the preposition "à" (goûter à un plat).
  • As a noun, it is a masculine noun (le goûter).
• Word origin: It originates from the Old French word goster, which comes from the Latin gustare, meaning "to taste". This Latin root is also the source of the English word "gustatory".

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

• Verb:
  • Déguster ↗: to savor or taste with pleasure.
  • Savourer ↗: to relish or enjoy the flavor of something.
  • Essayer ↗: to try something out.
• Noun:
  • Collation ↗: a light meal or snack.
  • En-cas ↗: a quick snack taken between meals.
  • Quatre-heures ↗: a traditional term for an afternoon snack, literally meaning "four o'clock".

Antonyms:

• S'abstenir ↗: to abstain or refrain from tasting.
• Ignorer ↗: in the sense of not experiencing or neglecting something.