Food that is appetizing looks or smells so good that you want to eat it. Golden bread in a shop window can be appetizing; a grey, cold stew may still be healthy and not appetizing at all. The word is about the invitation — look, smell, the idea of the meal — not about whether the food is good for you. People do stretch it a little (“an appetizing offer”), but that sounds playful or like an advertisement; the home meaning is still food. The opposite, unappetizing, is common and honest. American spelling is appetizing; British spelling is often appetising, with an s. The meaning is the same. Calling a person appetizing is risky: it can sound as if you want to eat them, which may be a joke between friends and a bit strange anywhere else. For people, appealing or attractive is the usual choice.