gourmand, gourmet, glutton

These words have to do with eating, but they are different in meaning. A gourmand is a large, enthusiastic eater (Diamond Jim Brady was a gourmand, often eating for three hours at a time). A gourmet is a fastidious eater, an epicure (As a French chef, he considers himself a gourmet). A glutton is one with a huge appetite, one who eats to excess and with little delicacy of choice or table manners. A gourmand is a heavy consumer of food but prides himself to some degree on his knowledge of cuisine; a gourmet may or may not be a heavy consumer of food but in any event is a connoisseur, an expert; only a glutton eats with an unrestrained appetite. The use of gourmet as an adjective (gourmet foods, a gourmet meal) is not considered standard, but widespread usage will likely confer reputability upon it as time passes.