# taster

> English word · Noun · IPA /teɪstɚ/ · frequency rank #41,412

## Definitions
1. An object in which, or by which, food or drink is tasted, such as a small cup.
2. Someone who tastes something; especially, either (1) to check its quality (in food science, winemaking, etc.) or (2) as a security measure to prevent assassination of a protectee.
3. A kind of zooid situated on the polyp-stem of certain Siphonophorae, resembling the feeding zooids, but destitute of mouths.
4. A sample of something bigger or grander intended for future use.
5. A person who is, by genetic makeup, able to taste phenylthiocarbamide.

## Etymology
From Middle English taster; equivalent to taste + -er.

## Easily confused with
- **tate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tate)
- **tasty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tasty)
- **Tatar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tatar)
- **tater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tater)
- **tested** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tested)
- **tastes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tastes)
- **teaser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-teaser)
- **tester** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tester)
- **testes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-testes)
- **toaster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-toaster)
- **toasted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-toasted)
- **twister** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-twister)
- **tatters** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taster-vs-tatters)
- **taste** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taste-vs-taster)
- **taper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taper-vs-taster)
- **taker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taker-vs-taster)
- **taser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taser-vs-taster)
- **tamer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tamer-vs-taster)
- **taller** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/taller-vs-taster)
- **tasted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tasted-vs-taster)

## Common misspellings (9)
`atster`, `tasetr`, `tasster`, `tasterr`, `tastre`, `tastter`, `tatser`, `tsater`, `ttaster`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/taster