relish

1 of 2

noun

rel·​ish ˈre-lish 

1

: characteristic flavor

especially : pleasing or zestful flavor

2

: a quantity just sufficient to flavor or characterize : trace

3

a

: enjoyment of or delight in something that satisfies one's tastes, inclinations, or desires

eat with great relish

b

: a strong liking : inclination

has little relish for sports

4

a

: something adding a zestful flavor

especially : a condiment (as of pickles or green tomatoes) eaten with other food to add flavor

b

: appetizer, hors d'oeuvre

relish

2 of 2

verb

relished; relishing; relishes

transitive verb

1

: to add relish to

2

: to be pleased or gratified by : enjoy

3

: to eat or drink with pleasure

4

: to appreciate with taste and discernment

intransitive verb

: to have a characteristic or pleasing taste

relishable

ˈre-li-shə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

Noun

• appetite
• fancy
• favor
• fondness
• like
• liking
• love
• love affair
• partiality
• preference
• shine
• taste
• use

Verb

• adore
• delight (in)
• dig
• enjoy
• fancy
• get off (on)
• groove (on)
• like
• love
• rejoice (in)
• revel (in)
• savor
• savour

Examples of relish in a Sentence

Noun

I like to eat hot dogs with mustard and relish.

She plays the role with great relish.

He took particular relish in pointing out my error.

Verb

I relish traveling to new places.

I don't relish the idea of working late tonight.

He relishes the chance to compete again.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dodger Stadium Team: Los Angeles Dodgers The Slugger is a 16-inch jalapeño cheddar sausage topped with corn relish, white cheddar cheese sauce, cilantro crema and crunchy tortilla strips, served with fries. —Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025

The spicy pepper relish is balanced perfectly with a spread of creamy goat cheese to make for a satisfying bite. —Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2025

Verb

Rodman, an Orange County native, clearly relished the opportunity to return to international action in front of 32,303 fans in Los Angeles, in the first ever women’s professional sports event held at SoFi Stadium. —Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025

Related Articles No Heat celebration for clinching play-in berth, but ‘something to play for’ Tyler Herro relishing life in the 70s amid his ever-present Heat reality Does Heat’s Jaquez have a shot? —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of Middle English reles odor, taste, from Middle French, something left behind, release — more at release

First Known Use

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for relish

• hellish
• embellish

Kids Definition

relish

1 of 2 noun

rel·​ish ˈrel-ish 

1

: a pleasing appetizing taste

2

: a small bit added for flavor : dash

3

a

: enjoyment or delight in something

eat with great relish

b

: a strong liking

4

: a highly seasoned food (as of pickles or mustard) eaten with other food to add flavor

relish

2 of 2 verb

1

: to add relish to

2

: to be pleased by : enjoy

3

: to eat or drink with pleasure

relishable

-ə-bəl 

adjective