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1

savor

noun sa·vor \ ˈsā-vər \

variants: or less commonly savour

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of savor

1 : the taste or smell of something

2 : a particular flavor or smell

3 : a distinctive quality

—

savorless

play \ˈsā-vər-ləs\ adjective

—

savorous

play \ˈsā-vər-əs, ˈsāv-rəs\ adjective

See savor defined for English-language learners

See savor defined for kids

Examples of savor in a Sentence

Without her love, life has lost its savor for me.
a gourmet who can identify the ingredients in any dish solely by their savor

Recent Examples of savor from the Web

The tri-tip was unfortunately dry and might have been better sliced rather than cubed, but the onion rings on top added savor.

— kate washington, sacbee, "Rancho Cordova's Back to the 80's Café is, like, totally rad | The Sacramento Bee," 9 Mar. 2018
The Israeli pianist David Greilsammer savors bold juxtapositions in his programming, as evidenced by a 2014 recording that placed the 18th-century keyboard works of Domenico Scarlatti in intimate dialogue with the music of John Cage.

— jeremy eichler, BostonGlobe.com, "Sparkling Mozart, spellbinding Donizetti, and dancing Bach," 8 Mar. 2018
Shrimp on sugarcane – a paste that’s a little sweet, with a briny savor – was a great counterpoint to small nibbles of those wildly hot chile peppers.

— kate washington, sacbee, "Dining review: Get your ‘broken rice’ fix at South Sacramento Com Tam Dat Thanh | The Sacramento Bee," 9 Feb. 2018
His mercurial jurisprudence replicates and even gives the savor of legitimacy to a closely divided country.

— michael brendan dougherty, National Review, "Anthony Kennedy Can’t Be Allowed to Die," 23 Jan. 2018
Food at Pujol is prepared in a kitchen with no burners or sauté pans, most dishes seared on a wood grill and finished in an oven to preserve the familiarly Mexican savor of smoke.

— guy trebay, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Food-and-Art Bender in Mexico City," 20 Dec. 2017
Tiger nut—not a nut but a little sedge tuber—is very sweet and very beige, with tiny particles floating throughout and a faint savor of rubber.

— Vogue, "Exploring the Wild World of Milk Alternatives," 15 Dec. 2017
So much that had animated his life had lost its savor.

— eric felten, WSJ, "Review: Is That All There Is?," 19 Oct. 2017
The crime-caper setup has some of the savor of early David Mamet and much of the macho posturing.

— alexis soloski, New York Times, "Review: A Priceless Violin, a Cut-Rate Caper," 20 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'savor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of savor

Middle English, from Anglo-French savur, from Latin sapor, from sapere to taste — more at sage

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

savor Synonyms

Synonyms

delectability, deliciousness, lusciousness, palatability, palatableness, savoriness, tastiness, toothsomeness;

Antonyms

distastefulness, flatness, insipidity, staleness, tastelessness, unpalatability;

Related Words

digestibility, edibility, edibleness;

choiceness, daintiness, delicacy;

2

savor

verb

variants: or less commonly savour

Definition of savor

savored also savoured; savoring also savouring play \ˈsā-vər-iŋ, ˈsāv-riŋ\

intransitive verb

: to have a specified smell or quality : smack

transitive verb

1 : to give flavor to : season

2 a : to have experience of : taste

b : to taste or smell with pleasure : relish

c : to delight in : enjoy

savoring the moment

—

savorer

play \ˈsā-vər-ər\ noun

See savor defined for English-language learners

Examples of savor in a Sentence

He savored the aroma of the baking pies.
They savored every last morsel of food.
She was just savoring the moment.
The team is still savoring its victory.
He savored the memories of his vacation.

Recent Examples of savor from the Web

As Ginobili’s storied career winds toward its conclusion, if not this season then next, fans and teammates alike have been sure to savor what is left of a legend.

— jeff mcdonald, San Antonio Express-News, "For Manu, still too soon to say goodbye," 9 Apr. 2018
And there was a great deal to savor from a program led by Lahav Shani, the young music director-designate of the Israel Philharmonic making his BSO debut.

— tim smith, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore Symphony in colorful form with Stenz, Steinbacher," 7 Apr. 2018
The right way is to keep it varied and interesting, with different courses to savor.

— eben weiss, Outside Online, "The Art of Wayfinding," 4 Apr. 2018
That evening, a more languid atmosphere prevailed in the orchestra, allowing Hadelich to savor the Spanish rhythms that course through the score.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Augustin Hadelich’s Bold Violin Explorations," 2 Apr. 2018
No, qualifying for a tournament might not be the equivalent of a U.S. Open title or Miami Open final, but nevertheless still a pretty good memory to savor.

— bill van smith, miamiherald, "In last women’s final at Key Biscayne, South Florida native hopes to make it special | Miami Herald," 30 Mar. 2018
So the games begin, and both characters savor them, even when things get painful.

— Esquire, "And the Best Picture Should Be...," 23 Feb. 2018
Baumgartner has taught his son to savor every second, to squeeze everything out of every opportunity.

— jeff seidel, Detroit Free Press, "U.P. concrete worker shares lesson of 4th-place Olympic finish with son," 15 Feb. 2018
There are also flash PMIs for Europe and the U.S. to savor as well.

— Bloomberg.com, "Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'savor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of savor

13th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

savor Synonyms

Synonyms

adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, love, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in);

Near Antonyms

abhor, abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe;

condemn, despise, scorn;

Related Words

admire, appreciate, cherish, revere, venerate, worship;

prize, treasure, value;

devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on);

dote (on), idolize;

cotton (to), favor, prefer;

indulge (in), luxuriate (in), wallow (in);

Phrases

be partial to, get a kick out of (or charge), go for, have a soft spot for, take to;

SAVOR Defined for English Language Learners

savor

noun

Definition of savor for English Language Learners

: a good taste or smell
: the quality that makes something interesting or enjoyable

savor

verb

Definition of savor for English Language Learners

: to enjoy the taste or smell of (something) for as long as possible
: to enjoy (something) for a long time

SAVOR Defined for Kids

1

savor

noun sa·vor \ ˈsā-vər \

Definition of savor for Students

: the taste or smell of something

… the air was full of the savor of clover fields …
—Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

the savor of fresh mint

2

savor

verb

Definition of savor for Students

savored; savoring

1 : to taste or smell with pleasure

I savored my meal.

2 : to delight in

The team savored its victory.

Learn More about savor

See words that rhyme with savor Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for savor Spanish Central: Translation of savor Nglish: Translation of savor for Spanish speakers

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Examples: savor in a Sentence