gormandized; gormandizing

intransitive verb

: to eat gluttonously or ravenously

transitive verb

: to eat greedily : devour
gormandizer noun

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The Evolution of Gormandize

Gormandize entered English in the mid-1500s as a modification of gourmand, a term borrowed from the French that served as a synonym for glutton. The meanings of both gourmand and gormandize were clearly disparaging until the 19th century, when gourmet came into use to refer to a connoisseur of food and drink. Since then, the meaning of gourmand has softened, so that it now simply suggests someone who likes good food in large quantities. Gormandize still carries negative connotations of gluttony, but it can also imply that a big eater has a discriminating palate as well as a generous appetite.

Examples of gormandize in a Sentence

everybody tends to gormandize on Thanksgiving—it's traditional! hungry soccer players who will gormandize whatever they happen to find in the fridge

Word History

Etymology

gormand, alteration of gourmand

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of gormandize was in 1548

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Dictionary Entries Near gormandize

Cite this Entry

“Gormandize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gormandize. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gormandize

verb
gormandized; gormandizing
: to eat greedily
gormandizer noun
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