Relish Once Meant an Aftertaste
Relish is enjoyment, and also a condiment. Its French original meant something left behind, namely a taste.
Relish is great enjoyment, and also a savoury condiment. The French original meant something left behind: *relais* is a remainder, and the word first named an aftertaste. From there it moved to the pleasure of a taste, then to enjoyment generally, and separately to the sauce that provides it.
- Great enjoyment. *He ate with relish.*
- A condiment. *Tomato relish.*
- To enjoy. *Relish the challenge.*
- Aftertaste (archaic). *A bitter relish.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | relish | Sweet relish. |
| Plural | relishes | Assorted relishes. |
| Verb | relish | Relish the prospect. |
| Related | release | An early release. |
| Related | relay | A relay race. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He did not relish the prospect.Did not look forward to it.
- Relish first meant an aftertaste.Something left behind.
- Relay comes from the same root.Something left or set down.
Condiments
- Relish — chopped vegetables or fruit in a sauce
- Chutney — from Hindi, usually sweet and spiced
- Pickle — preserved in vinegar or brine
- Ketchup — from a Chinese or Malay word for a fish sauce
- Piccalilli — a British mustard pickle
From Old French *relais*, something left behind, from *relaisser*, to leave behind — related to *release* and *relay*.
Are relish and release related?
Yes. Both come from a French verb meaning to leave behind or let go.
Where does ketchup come from?
From a Chinese or Malay word for a fermented fish sauce. The tomato version is a much later American development.