Zest

MEANING

ORIGIN

Cultural

ETYMOLOGY

Derived from the French word 'zeste', originally referring to the peel of a citrus fruit used for flavoring.

CULTURAL NOTES

Often associated with liveliness and vigor, zest is used to describe someone with a spirited and dynamic personality.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historically, zest has been used in culinary contexts since the 17th century to refer to citrus fruit peels. Its metaphorical use in describing spiritedness dates back to the 19th century.