maitsev

Maitsev is Estonian an adjective meaning tasty, flavorful, or delicious. It is used to describe food and drink that have a pleasant, appealing taste. The term can also be extended, in a broader sense, to describe experiences, meals, or products that are well-made and satisfying.

The word is formed from the noun maitse, meaning taste or flavor, with the adjectival suffix -ev, which indicates having a certain quality. Thus maitsev literally means “having taste” or “full of taste.” Related terms include maitseaine (seasoning) and maitsemeel (sense of taste).

In everyday Estonian, maitsev is a common descriptor in both spoken language and culinary writing. It frequently collocates with specific foods, for example maitsev toit (tasty food), maitsev supp (delicious soup), or maitsev kook (delicious cake). The form inflects like other Estonian adjectives to agree with the noun it modifies, and it can be used in both simple and comparative constructions, such as See supp on väga maitsev (This soup is very tasty) or Nende road on maitsvad, kui soovite plural usage (Their dishes are tasty).

Maitsev remains a straightforward, widely understood term in Estonian for positive assessments of flavor, distinct from more nuanced culinary descriptors that specify aroma, texture, or balance.