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When life hands you lemons, the saying goes, make lemonade. The message of this zingy aphorism is to take situations that are metaphorically sour and make them sweeter. You could do this by squeezing entire lemons to restore some excitement and enjoyment to your life, but you could also just take a little of the zest. Zest of course, refers to tiny pieces of citrus rind that are used to brighten, or enhance, the flavor of food and beverages. English speakers adopted the French word zest (zeste in modern French) in the late 1600s with this meaning, but it didn’t take long for them to spice up their language with an additional sense referring to any quality that adds enjoyment to something in the same way that the zest of a citrus fruit adds flavor to food. Later they extended the word to gusto—that is, enthusiastic enjoyment—itself, whether it be gustatory or not.
Examples of zest in a Sentence
Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2024
Pies and cakes are 9 inches and serve six to eight (apple, pumpkin, pecan, or French silk pie, or an almond cake with orange zest and fresh cranberries).
—Elaine Rewolinski, Journal Sentinel, 4 Nov. 2024
Best bite: The mole BBQ chicken was smoky, juicy and slightly charred, with a lime zest and a subtle heat that lingered.
—Kate Murphy, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024
Add the flour, butter, lemon and orange zests, vanilla, and salt, then mix on low until they are fully incorporated and the crumbly dough holds together when pinched between your fingers, 2–3 minutes.
—Ursula Ferrigno, Saveur, 3 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for zest 
Dictionary Entries Near zest
Cite this Entry
“Zest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zest. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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zest
nounfrom obsolete French zest (now zeste) "orange or lemon peel used for flavoring"
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