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)

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)

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.

Related Words

See taste.

Other Word Forms

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

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” ( sapient ); (verb) Middle English sav(o)uren, from Old French savourer, from Late Latin sapōrāre, derivative of sapor

Example Sentences

It’s impossible to say whether and for how long this cheerful trend will continue, but for now let’s savor the double treat of better-than-expected prosperity and a humbling of the highly credentialed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Old age, she says, makes you live more in the present and savor the moment, whether you’re enjoying a glass of chocolate milk, a grandchild’s phone call or conversation with friends.

From The Wall Street Journal

Disney said Epcot is the only place where people can savor flavors and traditions from 11 countries in just one day.

From The Wall Street Journal

I could be a crank and say I can’t wait for baseball to squander this momentum, or I could savor the sport-saving caffeine of the pitch clock and the Fall Classic’s screaming return from near-irrelevance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Think of this as your 2026 kitchen companion: a series of invitations to slow down, play and savor what it means to feed yourself, and maybe others, really well.

From Salon

Related Words

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