Describing Tastes and Smells: English Vocabulary List

‌a taste that is not sour, bitter, salty, or sweet, found in some foods such as meat, etc.

"Umami is the fifth basic taste."

"Umami is the savory fifth taste found in foods like mushrooms aged cheese and soy sauce."

describing food that has no flavor or taste

"The soup is insipid."

"The insipid soup had no salt pepper or any other seasoning and tasted like plain hot water with vegetables."

having the taste of salt

"The water tastes briny."

"The briny taste of the ocean water reminded him of his childhood summers spent at the beach with his family."

having a pleasantly sharp or spicy taste

"The salsa is piquant."

"The piquant salsa had a nice kick that made her mouth tingle without being too spicy or overwhelming to the taste buds."

having a sharp, bitter, or sour taste

"The fruit has an astringent taste."

"The astringent taste of the unripe persimmon made her mouth pucker and she immediately spit out the bitter fruit."

having a deliciously sweet and pleasant taste

"The juice is nectarous."

"The nectarous juice of the ripe mango was so sweet and delicious that she drank three glasses of it in a row."

having a strong and unpleasant smell

"The swamp has a fetid smell."

"The fetid smell coming from the swamp made them hold their noses as they walked along the nearby trail through the woods."

having a strong, pungent smell, often likened to the scent of a skunk

"The beer smells skunky."

"The skunky smell of the beer indicated that it had gone bad and was no longer safe to drink at all."

having a distinct and often pleasant natural scent

"Flowers are odoriferous."

"The odoriferous cheese was so strong that the delivery man could smell it through the cardboard box and the plastic wrapping."

describing food or aromas that are divine or heavenly

"The dessert is ambrosial."

"The ambrosial dessert was the best thing she had ever tasted and she asked the chef for the recipe immediately."

having a stale, moldy, or damp odor, often associated with a lack of freshness and proper ventilation

"The old book smells musty."

"The musty smell of the old bookstore reminded him of his grandfather's library where he spent many happy hours reading as a child."

having a strong and distinctive scent, often associated with musk or similar natural fragrances

"His cologne is musky."

"The musky cologne that he wore was too strong and gave her a headache every time she sat next to him."

possessing a pleasing smell

"The air is redolent."

"The kitchen was redolent with the smell of garlic and onions cooking slowly in butter on the stove."

having a strong and unpleasant smell

"The garbage is malodorous."

"The malodorous garbage needed to be taken out immediately because the smell was spreading throughout the entire house and making everyone feel sick."

having a strong and unpleasant taste or smell

"The socks are rank."

"The rank smell of the locker room made her gag and she held her breath as she walked past the door quickly."

breaking down and rotting, typically referring to organic material

"The meat is putrid."

"The putrid meat was covered in green mold and had to be thrown directly into the outside trash bin without opening the bag again."

(of food) having a spoiled or decomposed smell, typically due to the breakdown of fats or oils

"The butter tastes rancid."

"The rancid butter tasted terrible and she realized that it had been sitting in the fridge for over three months without being used."

pleasantly small and attractive, often implying a sense of elegance

"She has dainty feet."

"She took dainty bites of her sandwich because she did not want to seem rude in front of her new boyfriend's parents."

describing food that does not have a pleasant taste

"The meal is unpalatable."

"The unpalatable meal was so bad that he could not finish it even though he was very hungry and had not eaten all day."