Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GUSTO
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pronounce
GUSTO:
Say it "GUS toe."
Hear it here.
connect this word to others:
I like to think of the words gusto and b__o as cousins. (Can you recall that one?)
They're both from Italian, and they mean pretty much the same thing: gusto is "zest, relish, enjoyment, enthusiasm" and b__o is "pep, vigor, liveliness."
The difference is that gusto is much more common—and gusto literally means "taste," while b__o may literally mean "drunk." I guess that means we raise a glass to b__o, and wish a bon appétit to gusto!
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
The word "gusto" traces back through Italian to Latin, and it literally means "taste."
If you have a gusto for something, you have a taste for it: you love it, you enjoy it.
And when you do something with gusto, you do it with strong, lively enjoyment and enthusiasm.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the uncountable kind: "Drew plays piano with gusto;" "a book you plunge into with gusto (Time)."
Other forms:
None.
how to use it:
"Gusto" is a delight. It's semi-common, easy to understand, and fun to say.
Pick it when you want to emphasize the joy in someone's energy and enthusiasm, as if they're doing it with full-hearted pleasure, or as if it's filling them up with satisfaction.
Say that someone is doing (or saying) something with gusto.
Or, say that someone is "going for the gusto," a fabulous (and alliterative) phrase that, I think, means "going after some goal or activity with gusto." Below is an example from an old print ad. And here's a delightful example from Calvin and Hobbes.
examples:
"When Buchi said 'Amen!' with that delight, that gusto, Obinze feared she would grow up to be a woman who, with that word 'amen,' would squash the questions she wanted to ask of the world."
— Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah, 2013
"[James Allison] partied hard. We see him in a sombrero, swigging tequila from the bottle. He was known for carousing all night, then hauling himself back to the bench the following morning with the same gusto."
— Heidi Ledford, Nature, 7 June 20197" style="color:gray;">— Joseph Epstein, Wall Street Journal, 5 April 2016
has this page helped you understand "gusto"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "gusto" without saying "zest" or "zeal."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Someone and I) (do something, begin something, accept some task, or talk about some topic) with gusto."
Example 1: "Taylor and I jump into a rematch on Connect Four with gusto."
Example 2: "I was a traditionalist [about marriage] and Barack was not. It seemed clear that neither one of us could be swayed. But still, this didn't stop us—two lawyers, after all—from taking up the topic with hot gusto."
— Michelle Obama, Becoming, 2018
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is "The Words are Hard, the Titles are Silly, and the Points Don't Matter!"
In each issue, try matching a given term to a silly title. For example, match the term “desultory” to the video game title “If It Moves, Shoot It!” because desultory methods are random, disorganized, and unmethodical.
If you need a definition for a term, give it a click. Scroll all the way down to see my suggested matches. Give yourself a point for each match you make that matches my match! And give yourself two points for any match that mismatches mine, as long as you can make up some reason for your match, no matter how half-baked.
Try these today:
Terms:
A. cavort
B. incompetent
C. perspicacious
Subreddit titles:
1. AnimalsBeingDerps
2. DiWhy
3. ShowerThoughts
review this word:
A. APATHY, ENNUI, and DISINTEREST.
B. LOVE, TENDERNESS, and BENEVOLENCE.
C. TACT, DISCRETION, and GOOD TASTE.
2.
In their song "Gusto," Gang Starr exclaims, "_____"
A. God bless your life / Use kindness, and never blindness.
B. I'm spontaneous / Rockin the place ... I'm kickin' it well..
C. What it's costin' me is headaches, I don't like fakes, or people bossin' me around ... too busy buildin' my fortress.
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
I like to think of the words gusto and b__o as cousins. (Can you recall that one?)
The word "gusto" traces back through Italian to Latin, and it literally means "taste."
Part of speech:
"Gusto" is a delight. It's semi-common, easy to understand, and fun to say.
"When Buchi said 'Amen!' with that delight, that gusto, Obinze feared she would grow up to be a woman who, with that word 'amen,' would squash the questions she wanted to ask of the world."
Explain the meaning of "gusto" without saying "zest" or "zeal."
Fill in the blanks: "(Someone and I) (do something, begin something, accept some task, or talk about some topic) with gusto."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |