a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment (especially good food and drink)
"The gourmet spent his entire weekend tasting every single cheese and wine in the city's oldest market."
A connoisseur in eating and drinking; someone who takes their food seriously.
"The gourmet spent hours reading reviews to find the perfect truffle for his dinner party."
In plain English: A gourmet is someone who really enjoys eating high-quality food and is very picky about what they eat.
"The gourmet enjoyed a fine meal at the fancy restaurant."
Usage: Use "gourmet" to describe a person who is an expert or enthusiast about fine foods and wines, rather than simply someone who eats a lot. It refers to their knowledge and appreciation of quality cuisine, not the act of cooking itself.
Fine; of superior quality.
"We traveled to a remote village just to find that one gourmet mushroom hidden in the forest."
In plain English: Gourmet describes food that is made with high-quality ingredients and special care to taste really good.
"They traveled to Paris to enjoy gourmet food at a famous restaurant."
Usage: Use "gourmet" as an adjective to describe food that is exceptionally fine, rich, or of superior quality, such as gourmet chocolate or a gourmet meal. Avoid using it simply to mean expensive or fancy, as the term specifically implies high culinary standards rather than just cost.
The word "gourmet" comes from the French term for a wine broker or servant in charge of wines. It traveled into English with this specific meaning before evolving to describe someone who is an expert in fine food and drink.