geschmacklos

Geschmacklos is a German adjective describing two related qualities. In a culinary sense, it means flavorless or insipid—lacking a distinct taste or aroma. In a figurative sense, it denotes a lack of tact, refinement, or propriety, i.e., something in bad taste or tasteless.

The term is formed from Geschmack (taste) and los (without). Historically, the sense of taste extended metaphorically to style and manners in social life, so the figurative meaning developed over time.

In usage, geschmacklos can critique jokes, clothing, advertising, or behavior. For example, “ein geschmackloser Witz” means a tasteless joke; “eine geschmacklose Werbung” means tasteless advertising. In food contexts, it can describe flavorless or bland products; the word is often used to signal a lack of flavor, while “geschmackvoll” is used for things regarded as tasteful or refined.

Related forms include die Geschmacklosigkeit (tastelessness). The opposite is geschmackvoll (tasteful) or, in culinary terms, flavor-forward expressions such as ausbalanciert or aromatisch depending on context. In translation, geschmacklos is most often rendered as “tasteless” or “in poor taste” in social contexts, and as “flavorless” or “bland” in culinary contexts.