flavor
Americannoun
-
flavors
plural
-
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.
-
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)
Synonym Usage
See taste.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
preflavornoun
-
overflavorverb
-
deflavorverb (used with object)
-
flavorlessadjective
-
unflavoredadjective
-
well-flavoredadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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."
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:
But beyond their tart flavor and festive appeal, these small red berries contain natural compounds that may support oral health.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026
The timbral contrasts and clever interplay of Mr. Eubanks’s trombone, Steve Nelson’s vibraphone and Mr. Holland’s bass lend this music a distinctive flavor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
The idea isn’t to make three versions of roughly the same thing, but to offer a little variety in texture, flavor and heft.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
Young adult stories come in every imaginable flavor, and flavor combination, and several are present in “Phony,” premiering Tuesday on Hulu.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Later, as the men feasted on the dogs, Worsley commented that the piece he was eating had a better flavor than the leopard seal, and Hurley found it “exquisitely tender and flavorous.”
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Although mango and avocado have very different flavors and nutritional profiles, they provide complementary nutrients that support several aspects of cardiovascular and metabolic health.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
King and Carpenter didn’t know the first thing about making chocolate, but agreed that they wanted to offer more unique flavors as opposed to competing with the classic and more established brands.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Ben & Jerry’s sells pints of ice cream in memorable flavors such as “Half Baked” and “Cherry Garcia” but is equally well-known for its socially-driven mission that has at times stirred controversy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
Along with hand-breaded chicken, the menu overhaul includes new flavors of Chicken McNuggets, as well as new wings, wraps and other sandwiches.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
King Azaz had ordered a special supply of delicious words in all flavors and, for those who liked exotic foods, in all languages, too.
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
