🇫🇷French Source WordCode: FR

zeste

Pronunciation / Transliteration: zeste

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Zest/zɛst/
nounverbCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #4500 frequency
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🇫🇷 Example Sentence in French:

"Ajoutez un zeste de citron."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    Great enthusiasm and energy.

    "He approached his new job with great zest."
  2. 2

    Outer colored part of the peel of citrus fruit, used as flavoring.

    "Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the cake batter."

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Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the French word 'zeste', meaning orange or lemon peel, which originates from the ancient Greek 'schistos' (split). By the early 20th century, the meaning shifted metaphorically in English from the citrus peel used to add flavor to food to an enthusiastic and lively quality adding flavor or excitement to life itself.

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