A person who enjoys eating good food in large quantities; someone fond of food and eating, sometimes to excess.
From Old French 'gourmand', meaning a glutton or greedy eater. The word's origin is uncertain but possibly related to 'gourme' (a throat disease in horses), suggesting association with excess or greed.
In the 1600s, 'gourmand' was almost an insult suggesting someone was a glutton, but over time it softened to mean someone who simply loves quality food—it's a word that shows how our attitudes toward pleasure and indulgence have changed.
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