mouthfeel
MOWTH-feel
/ˈmaʊθ.fiːl/
The physical sensations in the mouth caused by food or drink, as distinct from taste.
Includes properties like temperature, spiciness (heat), creaminess, and carbonation.
The story behind the word. A relatively modern term, coined in the mid-20th century by food scientists to isolate physical sensations from chemical taste and smell.
Word relationships
- texture: Texture is the property of the food; mouthfeel is the experience of that property.
Collocations
- velvety mouthfeel
- creamy mouthfeel
- silky mouthfeel
- improve mouthfeel
Example sentences
- "The high fat content gives this ice cream a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel." Describing a premium ice cream.
- "The fine bubbles in the champagne contribute to its delicate mouthfeel." Describing a sparkling beverage.
Memory hook
It's exactly what it says: how the food 'feels' in your 'mouth'. The touch-sense of the tongue.
When not to use
Don't use it to describe the actual flavor (like 'salty'); use it for the physical sensation (like 'tingling').
Fun facts
- Food companies spend millions of dollars in 'rheology' labs just to perfect the mouthfeel of products like potato chips and yogurt.
Explore more words
viscosity, organoleptic, astringency, sensory, degustation, haptic
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