dégustant

Dégustant is the present participle of the French verb déguster, meaning to sample or savor food and drink. As a participle, it can function as an adjective describing an ongoing tasting or as a gerund in phrases such as en dégustant, meaning “while tasting.” Déguster is used broadly for sampling with attention to flavor and quality, and it is commonly applied to wine, cheese, chocolate, and other prepared foods.

Usage notes: It is uncommon to use dégustant as a standalone noun. If a person who tastes professionally is meant, French typically uses the noun preuve or, more commonly, dégustateur (male) or dégustatrice (female). The participle form may appear in literary or descriptive contexts to denote the act of tasting, but it is rare to refer to a person this way outside of stylistic writing.

Examples: En dégustant les vins, le sommelier note les arômes. Le dégustateur évalue les caractéristiques du vin.

Etymology: Dégustant derives from the verb déguster, which in turn comes from the Latin gustus, meaning taste. The prefix dé- is a common French formative element in verbs related to tasting or handling, but the core idea remains linked to tasting and savoring.

See also: déguster, dégustation, dégustateur.