zest

zest

---

Pronunciation

/zɛst/.

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

• z - /z/ (voiced alveolar sibilant)

• e - /ɛ/ (open-mid front unrounded vowel)

• st - /st/ (voiceless alveolar stop followed by a voiceless alveolar sibilant)

---

Word Form Variations

• zest (noun - singular): The outer, colored part of the peel of citrus fruit, used as a flavoring. Also, enthusiasm or excitement.

• zests (noun - plural): More than one instance of citrus peel used for flavoring. Less common when referring to multiple instances of enthusiasm.

• zested (verb - past tense/past participle): Having had the zest removed.

• zesting (verb - present participle/gerund): The act of removing zest.

• zesty (adjective): Having a strong, citrus flavor; lively or spirited.

• zestier (adjective - comparative): More zesty.

• ziestiest (adjective - superlative): Most zesty.

---

---

Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun:

• zest (n.) - The outer, colorful, and flavorful peel of a citrus fruit, often grated and used as an ingredient in cooking or baking. It can also refer to a quality of enthusiasm, vigor, or lively enjoyment.

• Synonyms (citrus peel): rind, peel, citrus zest

• Synonyms (enthusiasm): enthusiasm, energy, vivacity, spirit, verve, gusto, zeal, passion

• Antonyms (enthusiasm): apathy, indifference, lethargy, boredom, disinterest

Verb:

• zest (v.) - To remove the zest from a citrus fruit, typically by grating or peeling.

• Synonyms: grate, peel, scrape, remove zest

• Antonyms: (There isn't a direct antonym for the act of zesting, but you could say "add zest" or "infuse with zest" in the context of cooking.)

Adjective:

• zesty (adj.) - Having a strong, pungent, and often citrusy flavor; characterized by liveliness, enthusiasm, or spiritedness.

• Synonyms (flavor): tangy, citrusy, sharp, pungent, flavorful, piquant

• Synonyms (lively): energetic, vibrant, spirited, lively, enthusiastic, animated, peppy

• Antonyms (flavor): bland, mild, tasteless, dull

• Antonyms (lively): listless, apathetic, dull, uninspired, lethargic

Adverb:

• zestily (adv.) - In a zesty manner; with enthusiasm or vigor.

• Synonyms: enthusiastically, energetically, vibrantly, spiritedly, animatedly

• Antonyms: apathetically, listlessly, lethargically, unenthusiastically

---

Examples of Use

Noun (citrus peel):

• "The recipe called for the zest of one lemon." (Common cooking instruction)

• "She carefully grated the orange zest into the batter." (General public discourse)

• "The aroma of citrus zest filled the kitchen." (Descriptive writing, could be from a book or online publication)

Noun (enthusiasm/liveliness):

• "He approached the project with zest and determination." (General public discourse)

• "Her zest for life was contagious." (Could be from a book, blog post, or social media)

• "The team played with renewed zest after the halftime break." (Sports reporting, online or print newspaper)

Verb:

• "Zest the lime before adding it to the cocktail." (Bartending instruction, online or in a recipe book)

• "She zested the lemons for the lemon bars." (General public discourse)

• "The chef demonstrated how to zest a grapefruit." (Cooking show, TV or online platform)

Adjective:

• "The sauce had a zesty flavor." (Food review, online or in a magazine)

• "She was a zesty and energetic performer." (Review of a play or musical performance, online or in print)

• "The comedian's zesty humor kept the audience laughing." (Review of a comedy show, online or in print)

Adverb:

• "He zestily recounted his adventures abroad." (Could be from a book, blog post, or social media)

• "The band played the song zestily, energizing the crowd." (Music review, online or in print)

---

---

10 Famous Quotes Using Zest

1. "Zest is the secret of all beauty." — Christian Dior

2. "Live with zest, and you’ll never live in vain." — Helen Keller 

3. "There is no greatness without zest in the pursuit." — Winston Churchill 

4. "Zest adds soul to routine." — Maya Angelou 

5. "He approached life with the zest of someone who knew its brevity." — Ernest Hemingway

6. "Zest is that bit of madness we need to dance through logic." — Oscar Wilde 

7. "Without zest, learning becomes labor." — Albert Einstein 

8. "True happiness is to be found in a life of zest and simplicity." — Leo Tolstoy 

9. "Zest is the spark that turns a job into a passion." — Steve Jobs 

"Add a little zest to your day—the world will taste better." — Unknown proverb

---

Etymology

The word "zest" has a somewhat uncertain origin, but it's generally believed to have come from either the Old French word "zeste" or the Spanish word "cesta." Both of these words originally meant "peel" or "rind" of a citrus fruit. Think of "zest" as the flavorful outer layer of a lemon or orange.

The first recorded use of "zest" in English appears to be around the early 1700s. Initially, it referred specifically to the peel of citrus fruit, just like its French and Spanish cousins. So, if someone in the 1700s talked about the "zest of a lemon," they were talking about the outer peel.

Over time, the meaning of "zest" broadened a bit. While it still refers to citrus peel, it also came to mean a kind of lively enthusiasm or enjoyment. This figurative meaning probably developed from the idea that the zest of a citrus fruit adds flavor and excitement to food. So, just like a little lemon zest can liven up a dish, someone with "zest" adds flavor and excitement to life.

---

---

Phrases + Idioms Containing Zest

Phrases (Literal):

• Lemon zest

• Orange zest

• Lime zest

• Citrus zest

• Add zest (to a recipe)

• Remove the zest

These are all pretty straightforward and relate to the culinary use of "zest."

Phrases (Figurative/Less Common):

• A zest for life: This is a fairly common phrase, though not a full-blown idiom. It implies an enthusiastic approach to living.

• With zest: This adverbial phrase describes doing something enthusiastically. "She tackled the project with zest."

• Lost some zest: This implies a decrease in enthusiasm.

Original Phrases:

• "His words lacked zest." (Meaning they were uninspired.)

• "She sprinkled her conversation with zest." (Meaning she was lively and engaging.)

Idioms using Synonyms (for the feeling of zest):

Since direct "zest" idioms are scarce, we can look at idioms that capture the same spirit of enthusiasm, energy, or flavor:

• Full of beans: (Energetic, lively) "He was full of beans and ready to go."

• Pep in one's step: (Lively, energetic) "She had a real pep in her step after her vacation."

• Get a kick out of (something): (Enjoy something enthusiastically) "I get a kick out of watching old movies."

• Have a spring in one's step: (Energetic, happy) "He had a spring in his step after getting the good news."

• Spice things up: (Make things more interesting) "Let's spice things up by trying a new restaurant." (Relates to the flavorful aspect of zest)

---

Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

---

Source Information

Definition of zest from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

---