Gourmand / Gourmet

Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:

GOURMAND / GOURMET

As nouns, these words both relate to someone who likes good food and drink, but the specific definitions, as well as the connotations, are different.

gourmand is someone who is overly fond of eating and drinking and, consequently, tends to do so to excess. A gourmet is a connoisseur of food and drink who is interested in the taste and quality of these and appreciates delicacies and the finer points of good cuisine.

INCORRECT: Shirley is such a gourmet. She loves buffets and always takes some of everything, often going back for seconds and thirds. 

CORRECT: Shirley is such a gourmand. She loves buffets and always takes some of everything, often going back for seconds and thirds. 

INCORRECT: Mary is a true gourmand. For her, to substitute margarine for butter in a recipe is pure sacrilege.  

CORRECT: Mary is a true gourmet. For her, to substitute margarine for butter in a recipe is pure sacrilege.  

NOTE: While gourmet tends to have a positive connotation, gourmand tends to have a negative one.

© 2021 Ann Henry. All Rights Reserved.

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