Definition

Noun: The physical ability to perceive and identify flavors (such as sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami) through the sensory organs, primarily the taste buds on the tongue.

Usage

The term "sense of taste" refers specifically to the biological sensory system. It is often discussed in contexts of physiology, health, food, and sensory experience. * Example: Without a sense of taste, food would have no flavor. * Example: A common symptom of that illness is the loss of the sense of taste.

Advanced Usage

• "to have a sense of taste": Can be used literally or figuratively. Figuratively, it can imply having good judgment or discernment, especially in aesthetics.
  • Example (figurative): Her elegant home decor shows she has a good sense of taste.
• "to impair/deprive someone of their sense of taste": A common construction describing the loss of this faculty.
  • Example: The medication can temporarily impair your sense of taste.

Variants and Related Words

• Taste (noun): Can be synonymous with "sense of taste," but more commonly refers to the flavor itself or the act of tasting.
  • Example: Sugar has a sweet taste.
• Gustation (noun): The formal, scientific term for the sense of taste.
• Gustatory (adjective): Relating to the sense of taste.
  • Example: The gustatory cortex of the brain processes flavor signals.

Synonyms

• Gustatory sense: The formal synonym.
• Palate: Often used to describe a person's ability to appreciate and distinguish flavors.
  • Example: The chef has a refined palate.

Related Phrases

• Sense of smell: Closely linked to the sense of taste, as together they create the perception of flavor.
  • Example: When you have a cold, your sense of smell is blocked, which also affects your sense of taste.

Noun

1. the faculty of distinguishing sweet, sour, bitter, and salty properties in the mouth
   • his cold deprived him of his sense of taste