gamey

When food is described as "gamey," it means it has the strong, musky taste or smell often linked with wild meat such as venison, duck, rabbit, or pheasant. That is not always a bad thing; some people enjoy it, while others find it too strong. You might say a roast duck tastes a little gamey or that venison has a rich, gamey flavor. The word usually suggests the meat has the character of wild game rather than the milder taste of farm-raised meat.

The word comes from "game," meaning animals hunted for food or sport, so the food meaning is direct. Outside the kitchen, "gamey" can also describe something that feels a little improper, dirty, or suspicious. If a deal sounds "a bit gamey," it means it does not seem fully honest or respectable.

The word "gamey" is used first of all for the taste or smell of meat, especially meat from wild animals or birds that are hunted as game, such as venison, duck, rabbit, or pheasant. It points to a strong, earthy, musky quality that stands apart from the milder flavor of most farm-raised meat. For some people that taste is rich and appealing; for others it is simply too strong. In everyday use, someone might praise a stew for its deep, gamey flavor, while someone else might push the plate away for exactly the same reason.

That flavor is often connected with the animal's wild diet and active life, but it can also seem stronger depending on the age of the animal and how the meat was stored and prepared. Because of that, "gamey" can be either positive or negative in tone. A cook may use it with approval when talking about character and depth, but a diner may use it as a complaint when the smell or taste seems too sharp.

But "gamey" also has a figurative side. It can describe a story, joke, deal, or person that seems slightly improper, risqué, disreputable, or not fully trustworthy. A "gamey" joke may be a little dirty, and a "gamey" business arrangement may feel shady. In that sense, the word keeps the same basic feeling it has in the food sense: something strong, a bit wild, and not entirely clean-cut. Whether it describes a roast or a rumor, "gamey" suggests a noticeable quality that some people enjoy and others would rather avoid.