savor

American  

[sey-ver] / ˈseɪ vər /

especially British, savour

noun

1. the quality in a substance that affects the sense of taste or of smell.

   Synonyms:

   fragrance, scent, odor, smack, relish

2. a particular taste or smell.

3. distinctive quality or property.

4. power to excite or interest.

5. Archaic. repute.

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verb (used without object)

savors, present (3rd person singular) savored, past participle, past savoring present participle

1. to have savor, taste, or odor.

2. to exhibit the peculiar characteristics; smack (often followed byof ).

   His business practices savor of greed.

verb (used with object)

savors, present (3rd person singular) savored, past participle, past savoring present participle

1. to give a savor to; season; flavor.

2. to perceive by taste or smell, especially with relish.

   to savor the garden's odors.

3. to give oneself to the enjoyment of.

   to savor the best in life.

Spelling

See -or ¹.

Synonym Usage

See taste.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• savorer
  noun
• outsavor
  verb (used with object)
• savorless
  adjective
• savorous
  adjective
• unsavored
  adjective
• savoringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• savoring
  present
• savored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• savor
  simple
• savors
  simple
• have savored
  perfect
• has savored
  perfect
• am savoring
  progressive
• are savoring
  progressive
• is savoring
  progressive
• have been savoring
  perfect progressive
• has been savoring
  perfect progressive

Past

• savored
  simple
• had savored
  perfect
• was savoring
  progressive
• were savoring
  progressive
• had been savoring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will savor
  simple
• will have savored
  perfect
• will be savoring
  progressive
• will have been savoring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of savor

First recorded in 1175–1225; (noun) Middle English sav(o)ur, from Old French savour, from Latin sapōrem, accusative of sapor “taste,” derivative of sapere “to taste” ( cf. sapient); (verb) Middle English sav(o)uren, from Old French savourer, from Late Latin sapōrāre, derivative of sapor

Explanation

Whether it’s a feeling of joy or a piece of pecan pie — when you savor something, you enjoy it to the fullest. When you savor something, you enjoy it so much that you want to make it last forever. With that in mind, savor carries a connotation of doing something slowly. If you savor that flourless chocolate tart, then you eat it slowly, bit by bit, deliberately picking every last crumb off the plate. The word is often applied to eating, but you can savor any pleasurable experience, whether it’s the winning touchdown or your moment in the spotlight.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

savor savors savored savoring

He seemed to savor the chance to go deeper, to look more closely at our innate capacity for acts both moral and depraved.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

Despite the day’s packed schedule, Harding took time alone to savor the moment — and the extraordinary hillside view.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

Before private asset stocks lost their savor this year, StepStone Group was one of the tastiest.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

You can rent bikes, pick up a picnic or savor s’mores by the fire.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

In her apron was tucked a small piece of chocolate Cook had given her, and Ophie pulled it out to savor it slowly as she took a moment for herself.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

The scenic design by Paul Tate dePOO III savors the show’s Grand Guignol flavors while leaving plenty of flexibility for antic comedy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2026

Despite his neurological torments, he savors the wonderful things that have happened to him and the career he has enjoyed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025

Deborah drags a finger through the cream cheese frosting and savors the sweet paradise flavor that is celebrity-anointed success.

From Salon ● May 7, 2024

It summons thundering drums as Lipa savors a blissful connection, belting “How long can it just keep getting better?”

From New York Times ● May 3, 2024

Gogol savors each mouthful, aware that for the next eight months nothing will taste quite the same.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Trout savored every moment with friends and family, including his two sons, in the festivities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

No one needed to be a senator like Graham, who suddenly died over the weekend, and no one savored it more.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

During these gatherings, participants were prompted to read aloud from their favorite Morrison works, and share why they savored those particular lines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

I savored the beautiful aroma of fresh eggs bathed in spices.

From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026

I savored the silence, cuddling the sleeping baby in my arms.

From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed

In L.A., a dying MTT led a profound performance of Mahler’s death-obsessed Ninth Symphony, not as a farewell but as a shamanistic savoring of every moment of life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Tehran will soon be savoring a tasty TACO-fest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026

“I feel like I’m on a crime vacation,” said John DePetro, a true-crime content creator and Rhode Island native, savoring the desert climate.

From Slate ● Feb. 23, 2026

Overall, participants reported relatively high levels of both individual savoring and joint savoring, along with generally low stress levels.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 14, 2026

That night, at the boisterous celebratory dinner at Uncle Amin’s house, Fadi ate an entire plateful of mantu, savoring every bite.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Related Words

• appreciate
• luxuriate in
• relish
• revel in
• sip
• smell
• taste