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savour

British  
/ ˈseɪvə /

noun

  1. the quality in a substance that is perceived by the sense of taste or smell

  2. a specific taste or smell

    the savour of lime

  3. a slight but distinctive quality or trace

  4. the power to excite interest

    the savour of wit has been lost

  5. archaic reputation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to possess the taste or smell (of)

  2. to have a suggestion (of)

  3. (tr) to give a taste to; season

  4. (tr) to taste or smell, esp appreciatively

  5. (tr) to relish or enjoy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of savour

C13: from Old French savour, from Latin sapor taste, from sapere to taste

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.

Charlie said the World Cup would be the "pinnacle" of Ryan's career and that he had encouraged his son to savour every moment.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

"That's what the rest of my career is all about – to savour these nights," added Higgins.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

"It's very much really in the spirit of the book that you stay in the moment. You just really savour where it is for now."

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

"We're trying to savour it as much as possible because it's easy to downplay it. But it's been such a long journey that it really means a lot."

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Bag End seemed a more desirable residence than it had for years, and he wanted to savour as much as he could of his last summer in the Shire.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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