taste

Where does the word "taste" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin taxare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Taste’s story begins in Vulgar Latin: taxare meant “to touch, assess.” A frequentative of 'tangere', to touch. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as taster. First meant to touch or examine by touch. It reached English by 1300s as taste. 'good taste' as refinement dates from the 1600s. Today, taste means the sensation of flavour; aesthetic judgement.

1. Stage 1 · Vulgar Latin · ancient taxare "to touch, assess", a frequentative of 'tangere', to touch.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval taster "to touch, feel", first meant to touch or examine by touch.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s taste "to touch; to taste", 'good taste' as refinement dates from the 1600s.