gusto
UK: ˈɡʌstəʊ | US: ˈɡʌstoʊ
n. enthusiastic enjoyment or vigor in doing something
n. (archaic) individual taste or preference
The word "gusto" entered English in the early 17th century from Italian, where it originally meant "taste" or "liking." It traces back to Latin gustus (taste), which also gave rise to words like "disgust" (literally "opposite of taste"). The Italian/Spanish suffix -o solidifies it as a noun. Over time, English narrowed its meaning to emphasize enthusiastic enjoyment, likely influenced by the expressive nature of Romance languages. The morpheme "gust" preserves its core idea of sensory or emotional "tasting."
She sang the aria with tremendous gusto.
The team tackled the project with fresh gusto after their break.
(Archaic) Each artist painted according to their own gusto.
His gusto for spicy food surprised everyone at the table.
The children ate the cake with unabashed gusto.