savor

noun

sa·vor | \ ˈsā-vər

variants: or less commonly savour

Definition of savor

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the taste or smell of something

2 : a particular flavor or smell

3 : a distinctive quality

savor

verb

variants: or less commonly savour

savored also savoured; savoring also savouring\ ˈsā-vər-iŋ

, ˈsāv-riŋ \

Definition of savor (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to have a specified smell or quality : smack

transitive verb

1 : to give flavor to : season

2a : to have experience of : taste

b : to taste or smell with pleasure : relish

c : to delight in : enjoy savoring the moment

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Other Words from savor

Noun

savorless \ ˈsā-vər-ləs

\ adjective

savorous \ ˈsā-vər-əs

, ˈsāv-rəs \ adjective

Verb

savorer \ ˈsā-vər-ər

\ noun

Synonyms for savor

Synonyms: Noun

flavor, taste

Synonyms: Verb

flavor, lace, season, spice

Examples of savor in a Sentence

Noun

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

Verb

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 on the Web: Noun

The chicken piccata is chicken piccata, but the hormone-free meat is more tender than usual, and the sauce fortified with fresh stock is lighter, but still full of flavor, with a lemony, lingering savor. — Craig Laban, Philly.com, "Jersey Shore restaurants offer tasty food options from Cape May to LBI," 29 June 2018 Handcraft never ceases to impress Lovers of craft had lots of savor at NYCxDesign this year. — Jenny Xie, Curbed, "All the NYCxDesign 2018 highlights you should know," 30 May 2018 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

But use the upcoming weeks and months, Chicago, to savor the anticipation. — Rich Campbell, chicagotribune.com, "The end of the Bears' spring practices starts Chicago's summer of anticipation — is it September yet?," 14 June 2019 The old-synthesizer sounds in the overture raise a smile, and there are many nuanced instrumental moments to savor. — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, "Review: ’Mamma Mia’ a crowded, loud party at CT Rep," 10 June 2019 But this year, metro Detroit strawberry lovers will wait a bit longer to savor the sweet gems of summer. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan-grown strawberries are arriving late and here's why," 7 June 2019 Bill Newsome’s, and La Quercia) to savor on a brunch trip to the Sunday Head House farmer’s market. — Craig Laban, https://www.inquirer.com, "Where to get the best charcuterie in Philly," 4 June 2019 Enjoy a special meet-and-greet with Chef Ana before sitting down to savor her standout Slovenian fare. — Alena Hadley, National Geographic, "Taste What's Cooking Across the Globe: 10 Edible Trips," 8 Apr. 2019 Peruse the pieces, then walk into town for some ice cream and meander over to the beach across the street to savor your treat—the perfect way to spend an afternoon. — Ariel Okin, Vogue, "Here’s Why Palm Beach Has Become a Destination for Young Interior Designers," 7 Dec. 2018 The restaurant Bukhari, so named for the traditional Bhutanese fireplace, might be the best place to savor these vistas. — Betsy Blumenthal, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Hotels in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards," 9 Oct. 2018 Start the day early on a long-tail boat and savor your breakfast in the center of one of these towering karsts, kayak through mangroves, and hop around to the nearby islets. — Christina Liao, Vogue, "Skip Phuket and Koh Samui—Go to This Island in Thailand Instead," 23 May 2019

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.

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The first known use of savor was in the 13th century

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More Definitions for savor

savor

noun

English Language Learners Definition of savor

(Entry 1 of 2)

formal

: a good taste or smell

literary : the quality that makes something interesting or enjoyable

savor

verb

English Language Learners Definition of savor (Entry 2 of 2)

formal

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

: to enjoy (something) for a long time

See the full definition for savor in the English Language Learners Dictionary

savor

noun

sa·vor | \ ˈsā-vər

Kids Definition of savor

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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