- gourmet (n.)

- "connoisseur in eating and drinking," 1820, from French gourmet, altered (by influence of Middle French gourmant "glutton") from Old French groume, originally "wine-taster, wine merchant's servant" (in 13c. "a lad generally"), a word of uncertain origin. As an adjective from 1900. Compare groom (n.1). For sense distinction, see gourmand.