dégustation
tasting, sampling
noun day-goos-TAH-syoh Rare
Origin: Latin 'degustatio' (tasting)
Usage Note
Dégustation is the formal or appreciative tasting of food or drink — most commonly wine (une dégustation de vins) or cheese. It implies savoring rather than eating for sustenance. Wine shops and restaurants regularly offer séances de dégustation; the verb is déguster, which can also colloquially mean 'to take a beating' (il a dégusté).
Examples
"La dégustation de vins commence à dix-sept heures."
Natural Translation
The wine tasting begins at five o'clock.
Literal Translation
The tasting of wines begins at seventeen hours.
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