trencherwoman

Why this word is great

TRENCHERWOMAN — [Noun] A woman who is a hearty eater, undaunted by quantity or rustic fare. From trencher ("a wooden board or platter for serving food") + -woman ("female suffix"). Unlike "gourmet" (a connoisseur of delicate flavors) or "epicure" (a seeker of refined pleasure), a trencherwoman is defined by her unpretentious, vigorous appetite. She is the woman wiping gravy from her chin with the back of her hand, the one who polishes off a loaf of bread while others pick at salads, the guest who asks for seconds when the rest have barely started. In her, we see the simple truth: to eat well is to live well, and hunger, met squarely, is its own kind of grace.