savor

American  

[say-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

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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

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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

Foodies have long tucked culinary souvenirs into their suitcases to savor a taste of their trip long after they’re home, but the 2024 Paris Olympics and social media have supercharged the trend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Yes, you still may savor the glory of a great player wearing your colors, but there’s a good chance they’ll be packing up shop by the time they’re 25.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026

Nor do such foods allow consumers to fully savor each ingredient.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

But there are still spots to savor the rhythms.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

It’s something she can savor and control, this feeling of having been wronged by the world.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

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

She savors small pleasures, personal connections and casual revelations, with a touch of new-age mysticism.

From New York Times ● Mar. 14, 2024

If you’re a boat person who savors the faint scent of diesel, however, you’ll want to book Walter’s Room, a small bedroom and sitting room in the fog signal building.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

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

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Take a sip: Martinis are savored for their elegant simplicity and refined romanticism.

From Slate ● Sep. 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

But on birthdays, especially at Olive Garden, the calories didn’t count, and the extra Andes Mint I passed her — because I didn’t care for chocolate in my youth — could be savored.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026

And for a moment, Venezuelans savored a sense of triumph that cut through the turmoil in their homeland.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026

He spoke aloud to the sink and the white rats, and to himself: Even now, I know that I have savored the hot taste of life Lifting green cups and gold at the great feast.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

“There are a lot of Mexican families here,” she told me after savoring the final crouton on her plate.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026

I dipped in and out, savoring scenes, reflecting on them, occasionally shedding a tear.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 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

Tyrion was underfoot amidships, so he climbed the forecastle and hunkered down, savoring the lash of cold rain on his cheeks.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

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Related Words

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

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