Word of the Day - 09/09/25
gourmand
/'ɡʊrmənd/(n.): a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
His reputation as a gourmand grew with each lavish feast he attended, always indulging in more than was truly necessary.
Word Origin
The word 'gourmand' originates from Old French. It comes from 'gourmant' (or 'gormant'), which was the present participle of the verb 'gormer', meaning 'to eat greedily' or 'to gorge'. The ultimate etymology of 'gormer' is somewhat uncertain, but it likely developed from a sense of gluttony or an imitative sound associated with eating large amounts of food. It entered English in the 15th century.
A closely related word is 'gourmet', which also comes from French but developed with a different nuance, referring to a connoisseur of fine food and drink. The English verb 'gorge' (to eat a large amount greedily) also shares an etymological root with 'gourmand' through the Old French 'gormer'.
As a reminder, here are all of the words from this week:
abide panacea despot
gourmand
See if you can remember all of this week's words! Here is a sentence that includes all seven, followed by a version that simplifies them to help you remember:
The venerable sage, who refused to abide a despot's cruel yoke, often remarked that earthly joys were ephemeral; yet, even he, a notorious gourmand, secretly hoped for a panacea to cure all societal ills.The respected old man, who wouldn't tolerate a tyrant's harsh control, often said that worldly pleasures were brief; yet, even he, a famous glutton, secretly wished for a cure-all to fix all society's problems.