1590s, from Middle French desgoust "strong dislike, repugnance," literally "distaste" (16c., Modern French dégoût), from desgouster "have a distaste for," from des- "opposite of" (see dis-) + gouster "taste," from Latin gustare "to taste" (see gusto).

c.1600, from Middle French desgouster "have a distaste for" (see disgust, n.). Sense has strengthened over time, and subject and object have been reversed; the older use looks like this: "It is not very palatable, which makes some disgust it" (1660s). The reverse sense of "to excite nausea" is attested from 1640s. Related: Disgusted; disgusting.