Tastes (noun, plural) refers to the sensations perceived by the tongue as a result of chemical stimulation, typically relating to sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. It can also denote a person's preference or palate for flavors. In culinary contexts, it is used to discuss the perception or evaluation of food or drink.
"- The restaurant offers a variety of tastes that delight the palate."
"- Her tastes in wine skew toward bold, earthy reds."
"- The chef adjusted the sauce to balance the sweet and sour tastes."
"- After the tasting, he described the tastes as bright and refreshing."
Taste as a noun comes from Old French taste, from Latin sapor (taste, flavor). The sense of taste in biology enters from the same root as savor, related to sapor in Latin, and is cognate with gustation in scientific use. The plural form tastes emerged when the word extended to refer to multiple instances or collections of flavors or preferences. Early English uses date to the Middle Ages, with culinary and sensory uses well-attested by the 13th century. Over time, the noun broadened to include abstract senses like “taste in manners” or “a particular preference,” while retaining its core connection to flavor perception. The evolution also parallels shifts in science and culinary arts where the concept expanded from a sole sensory attribute to a complex, subjective experience influenced by culture, memory, and context. The term remains central in gastronomy, psychology of taste, and discussions of culinary opinion.
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Words that rhyme with "Tastes"
-tes sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You say it as /teɪsts/. The first syllable is a long A vowel with a silent E influence, so it rhymes with “bates.” Stress is on the single syllable word. Tip: keep the /t/ clean, then glide into the /eɪ/ vowel, and finish sharply with /sts/ (a consonant cluster). Audio references يمكنك use Cambridge or Forvo as confirmation.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the final /s/ and saying /teɪst/; (2) Not voicing the /s/ cluster after /t/—slurring to /teɪst/ or mispronouncing as /teɪsts/ with weak s. Corrections: intentionally articulate /t/ with the following /eɪ/ as a single syllable, and then release the /s/ clearly as /s/; practice by saying /teɪs/ then add the final /t/ briefly before the /s/ for a crisp cluster.
In US, UK, and AU, the pronunciation is largely the same /teɪsts/. Differences lie in vowel length and flapping tendencies in some American dialects—occasionally you may hear a very short /ɪ/ or a more clipped /eɪ/; Australians generally maintain a clear /eɪ/ with less vowel reduction, and non-rhotic tendencies are rare here because /t/ + /s/ cluster occurs in all contexts. Overall, rhoticity does not significantly alter the word.
The difficulty lies in the precise handling of the final consonant cluster /sts/. You need to end with a clean /s/ after a hard /t/ stop, without a vowel intrusion that would yield /stiz/ or /st/ alone. The sequence /t/ + /s/ can cause sibilant blending; practice by isolating /t/ to a quick release, then click into /s/ for a crisp, audible cluster. IPA assists in keeping the rhythm accurate.
The word features a single vowel sound in the stressed nucleus /eɪ/ (the long A) followed by a sibilant cluster /sts/. The unique challenge is maintaining the short, explosive /t/ before the /s/ and avoiding a vowel lengthening before the /s/. You’ll focus on a sharp tongue tip contact for /t/ and a quick, precise release into /s/.
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