Did you know?
Do you sometimes find yourself trying to describe a concept or phenomenon for which you don't have a word? In such cases, it is not unusual for people to coin neologisms (new words or expressions) to describe such concepts or phenomena - the pink glow on the underside of gray clouds right before sunset, for example, or the sensation created in the mouth by a particular item of food or drink. Indeed, this latter concept has already been given a name, "mouthfeel," a simple combination of "mouth" and "feel" that can be used to describe the creamy warmth of a mushroom soup or the dry, velvety sensation of a pinot noir. This coinage is relatively new; its earliest known use dates back only to 1951.
Examples of mouthfeel in a Sentence
Erik Ofgang, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
In the dairy section, Nestle compared a whole-fat yogurt (milk, bacterial cultures) with a low-fat version (milk, bacterial cultures, cornstarch, and pectin, among other things), whose emulsifiers and thickeners improved creaminess and mouthfeel.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Espresso is thicker, creamier, and has a velvety mouthfeel that almost borders on syrupy.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2025
Each version has a unique composition that can affect the mouthfeel and taste of the water.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mouthfeel 
Dictionary Entries Near mouthfeel
Cite this Entry
“Mouthfeel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mouthfeel. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share