flavor

[ fley-ver ]

noun

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

   Synonyms: seasoning

3. the characteristic quality of a thing:

   He captured the flavor of the experience in his book.

   Synonyms: spirit, essence

4. a particular quality noticeable in a thing:

   language with a strong nautical flavor.

5. Physics. any of the six labels given to the distinct kinds of quark: up, down, strange, charm, bottom, and top.
6. Archaic. smell, odor, or aroma.

verb (used with object)

1. to give flavor to (something).

flavor

/ flā′vər /

1. 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 .

Other Words From

• flavor·less adjective
• de·flavor verb (used with object)
• over·flavor verb
• pre·flavor noun verb (used with object)
• un·flavored adjective
• well-flavored adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flavor¹

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,” ( flatus ), perhaps with -or of fētor fetor

Synonym Study

See taste.

Example Sentences

Lauren Chandler, a culinary instructor based in Portland, Oregon, likes to toss boiled potatoes with a vinaigrette and tons of fresh herbs to add heft and flavor to any salad.

From Outside Online

With a little help from her mom and boyfriend, Mooreland gets settled in her new place — upgraded from a studio to a one-bedroom in downtown Chicago — then enhances the place with her vibe and flavor.

From Ozy

When neurophysiologist Debarghya Dutta Banik and colleagues turned off the sensing abilities of more specific taste cells in mice, the researchers were startled to find other cells responding to flavors.

From Science News

She studies the brain’s response to flavor and food at Mersin University in Turkey.

From Science News For Students

Our plan is anchored by a new centralized 12-acre park, which will help the ballot measure succeed rather than turning voters off by offering them a massive traffic-generating development with no local flavor.

From Voice of San Diego

After the Iranian Revolution, discrimination took on a sectarian flavor.

From The Daily Beast

Tosi has been using cereal milk as a flavor ever since 2007, and she says it taps into a universal “memory sensor.”

From The Daily Beast

Well, the sherry allows more flavor to come out of the wood than could otherwise be extracted.

From The Daily Beast

They're back in Speyside working hard to create the perfect flavor.

From The Daily Beast

One episode, out of dozens, gives the true Odd Couple flavor.

From The Daily Beast

European tobacco is lacking in flavor and is less powerful than the tobacco of America.

From Project Gutenberg

The lighter the color of the tobacco the lighter the ash and the milder the flavor of the cigar.

From Project Gutenberg

Their flavor is not always uniform, and is not denoted by the color as in other varieties.

From Project Gutenberg

It is somewhat difficult to compare them with Havana cigars, as the flavor is essentially different.

From Project Gutenberg

The flavor is not unpleasant, but is better suited to those who prefer a mild rather than a full flavored cigar.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• character
• feel
• feeling
• quality
• style
• tone
• touch