Sweet
/swiːt/noun
Having a pleasant taste like sugar, or pleasing in character or appearance.
Did you know?The English word sweet descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to be pleasing” or “to taste,” showing how taste, desire, and affection were linked in language from the beginning.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*swād-
“to taste sweet, be pleasing”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*swōtaz
“sweet, pleasant to the taste”
Old English
English
swēte
“sweet, pleasing, delightful”
Middle English
English
swete
“sweet; also pleasant, kind, or dear”
Modern English
English
sweet
“having a pleasant taste; agreeable or endearing”