noun
zest
zehst
noun
1
The outer, colourful peel of a citrus fruit, grated or peeled off for its flavour.
"Add the zest of one lemon to the batter."
"She grated some orange zest over the cake as a garnish."
2
Great enthusiasm and enjoyment.
"He tackled every new project with real zest."
"Her zest for life was infectious."
verb
1
To remove the zest from a piece of citrus fruit.
"Zest the lime before you juice it."
How to Use Zest
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the flavourful outer peel of citrus fruit, or a lively enthusiasm for doing something.
Common pairings
lemon zest
zest for life
add zest to
Word Forms
zested past tense, zests plural, zests singular
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Add the _____ of one lemon to the batter.
Etymology
From French zeste, originally referring to the peel used to flavour dishes and drinks.