Word Woman

Welcome to another astounding episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! A mind is a terrible thing to waste, so keep yours active with exercises like crossword puzzles, sudoku and (of course) learning new words. Now let's warm up those mental muscles with the Word of the Week:

Gourmand: One overfond of eating, a glutton. In 1491 when Caxton speaks of "gourmands and gluttons which eat more than is to them necessary," he is using the word in its pejorative sense. By 1890, the word also meant a delicate or choosy eater. Now, in our diet-conscious age, we again use it as a synonym for "glutton," although in French it retains positive connotations. The similar terms gourmet (1820) and gastronome (1823) both imply exquisite discrimination in eating, but they are sometimes ironically used to imply an obsession with food. -- "Kind Words: A Thesaurus of Euphemisms", Judith S. Neaman & Carole G. Silver, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1983.

Example: While the chef at the restaurant received much acclaim from the diners for his fine gourmet creations, he was also known among the employees as a bit of a gourmand, so the pantry was always keep well-stocked just as a precaution.