Yummy

How to spell yummy

5 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce yummy

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does yummy mean?

1. adjectiveTasting or smelling very pleasant; delicious.

Yummy in a sentence

• The bakery on the corner sells a yummy almond croissant.

• She described the slow-cooked stew as warm and yummy.

Where does yummy come from?

Language of origin: Other

Yummy is an informal adjective that grew out of the exclamation 'yum', a sound that English speakers make when tasting something delicious. That little word is what linguists call echoic or imitative: it does not descend from an older root but simply mimics the contented noise of eating, much like 'mmm' or 'yum-yum'. The doubled form 'yum-yum' was recorded in English in the early nineteenth century as a way of expressing relish at food, and by the late 1800s the adjective 'yummy' had appeared, formed by adding the familiar -y suffix that turns nouns into descriptive words. The single consonant of 'yum' doubles before -y, following the regular English pattern that keeps the short vowel sound, which is the small spelling point worth remembering. The word remains casual and affectionate in tone, and over time it has stretched beyond food to describe anything pleasing, though its home is still the dinner table.

How the word is built

• yum (imitative exclamation of pleasure)
• -y (adjective suffix, with doubled m)