Synonyms

flavor

American

[flay-ver] / ˈfleɪ vər /

especially British, flavour

noun

taste, especially the distinctive taste of something as it is experienced in the mouth.
a substance or extract that provides a particular taste; flavoring.

Synonyms:

seasoning
the characteristic quality of a thing.

He captured the flavor of the experience in his book.

Synonyms:

spirit, essence
a particular quality noticeable in a thing.

language with a strong nautical flavor.
Physics. any of the six labels given to the distinct kinds of quark: up, down, strange, charm, bottom, and top.
Archaic. smell, odor, or aroma.

verb (used with object)

to give flavor to (something).

flavor Scientific

/ flā′vər /

Any of six classifications of quark varieties, distinguished by mass and electric charge. The flavors have the names up, down, strange, charm, top, and bottom. Protons in atomic nuclei are composed of two up quarks and one down quark, while neutrons consist of one up quark and two down quarks. The flavor of a quark may be changed in interactions involving the weak force.

Synonym Usage

See taste.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

flavors

plural

Etymology

Origin of flavor

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French fla(o)ur, from unattested Late Latin flātor “stench, breath,” alteration of Latin flātus a “blowing, breathing,” ( see flatus), perhaps with -or of fētor fetor

Explanation

Flavor is the way something tastes. If an ice cream shop offers 50 flavors, each one of them will taste different. The flavor of your soup can be adjusted by adding salt — and when you add ingredients to change a food's taste, you can say you flavor it. From the flavor of food comes the sense of flavor meaning "atmosphere" or "feeling." You could say, for example, that you're not crazy about a particular clothing shop because it has such a glitzy, expensive flavor. Flavor initially meant "smell," from the Vulgar Latin flator, "odor."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

flavor flavors

Real fruit juice concentrates give them their flavor, resulting in a less artificial taste.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

It’s a wild experience and I highly recommend the mango flavor, although many also stand by the peach.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Vanillin is the main flavor and fragrance compound found in natural vanilla pods.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

Foods “cross into ultra-processed territory when they contain preservatives, flavorings and other food additives, or substances ... to enhance flavor and increase shelf life.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

I pick my new favorite flavor, peanut butter and chocolate.

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

Some autumnal ale: It can be delightful when craft breweries churn out seasonally inspired flavors, but what happens when we start being served pumpkin beer in August, or Christmas beer before Halloween?

From Slate ● Oct. 14, 2026

At retailers and online, it can be found marketed in flavors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Year: 2022 Compiled by: Cheyna Roth Of note: The flavors include such choice options as “Caesar salad.”

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

Woodsy flavors are spreading on restaurant menus and in packaged foods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

I’d done some more experimenting with cake flavors since then, but this recipe felt right for today, since it reminded me of the summer I first started writing to Marcus.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023