savor

[sey-ver]

noun

the quality in a substance that affects the sense of taste or of smell.
a particular taste or smell.
distinctive quality or property.

power to excite or interest.
Archaic. repute.

verb (used without object)

to have savor, taste, or odor.
to exhibit the peculiar characteristics; smack (often followed by of): His business practices savor of greed.

verb (used with object)

to give a savor to; season; flavor.
to perceive by taste or smell, especially with relish: to savor the garden's odors.
to give oneself to the enjoyment of: to savor the best in life.

Also especially British, sa·vour.

Origin of savor

1175–1225; (noun) Middle English sav(o)ur < Old French savour < Latin sapōrem, accusative of sapor taste, derivative of sapere to taste (cf. sapient); (v.) Middle English sav(o)uren < Old French savourer < Late Latin sapōrāre, derivative of sapor

Related formssa·vor·er, nounsa·vor·ing·ly, adverbsa·vor·less, adjectivesa·vor·ous, adjectiveout·sa·vor, verb (used with object)un·sa·vored, adjective

Can be confusedsavior savor savory

Synonyms for savor

1. relish, smack; odor, scent, fragrance. See taste.

Usage note

See -or¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for savors

sip, taste, appreciate, smell, relish, scent, zest, tang, odor, smack, tinge, piquancy, salt, spice, affection, attribute, character, feature, mark, excitement

Examples from the Web for savors

Historical Examples of savors

Anything that savors of the pedantic is to be strictly avoided.
College Teaching
Paul Klapper
But anything that savors of injustice exasperates me to the degree of frenzy.
The House
Eugene Field
It is, perhaps, too intimate; it savors slightly of the Mrchen.
The Translations of Beowulf
Chauncey Brewster Tinker
It savors of kitchen mechanics, and, what is more, I do not wear a bonnet.
Sisters
Grace May North
Methinks it savors of the fashions of the late queen's reign.
The Catholic World. Volume II; Numbers 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
E. Rameur

Word Origin and History for savors

savor

mid-13c., from Old French savor "flavor, taste; sauce, seasoning; delight, pleasure," from Latin saporem (nominative sapor) "taste, flavor," related to sapere "to have a flavor" (see sapient).

savor

c.1300, from Old French savorer "taste, breathe in; appreciate, care for," from Late Latin saporare, from Latin sapor (see savor (n.)). Related: Savored; savoring.