savory

1 of 3

adjective

sa·​vory ˈsā-və-rē 

ˈsāv-rē

variants or chiefly British savoury

: having savor: such as

a

: piquantly pleasant to the mind

a savory triumph

b

: morally exemplary : edifying

… scandals don't make very savory reading.

—Green Peyton

c

: pleasing to the sense of taste or smell especially by reason of effective seasoning

a savory dinner

the savory smells wafting from the kitchen

d

: having a spicy or salty quality without sweetness

an assortment of both sweet and savory appetizers

e

: being, inducing, or marked by the rich or meaty taste sensation of umami

savory flavors

savorily

ˈsā-və-rə-lē 

adverb

savoriness

ˈsā-və-rē-nəs 

noun

savory

2 of 3

noun (1)

variants or chiefly British savoury

plural savories or chiefly British savouries

1

: a small serving of food that is spicy or salty but not sweet

Those tempted toward savories can nibble on smoked-salmon or lobster-rémoulade tea sandwiches.

—Andy Birsh

2

: the taste sensation that is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) and has a rich or meaty flavor characteristic of cheese, cooked meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes : umami

savory

3 of 3

noun (2)

sa·​vo·​ry ˈsā-və-rē 

ˈsāv-rē

plural savories

: either of two aromatic mints:

a

: summer savory

b

: winter savory

Synonyms

Adjective

• ambrosial
• aromatic
• fragrant
• perfumed
• redolent
• scented
• sweet

Choose the Right Synonym for savory

palatable, appetizing, savory, tasty, toothsome mean agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste.

palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable.

butterflies that birds find palatable

appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste.

appetizing hors d'oeuvres

savory applies to both taste and aroma and suggests piquancy and often spiciness.

dumplings with savory fillings

tasty implies a pronounced taste.

a tart and tasty pie

toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness.

an enticing array of toothsome desserts

Examples of savory in a Sentence

Adjective

They prepared an assortment of both sweet and savory foods.

cedar is one of the most savory of all woods

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Try adding them as breakfast toppings, pairing them with a savory lunch, or blending them into smoothies to help boost your strawberry consumption. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025

Quiche Lorraine–a savory tart with bacon, cheese and eggs—is ideally matched with a white Burgundy like chardonnay from the Côte de Beaune, such as meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, to balance the richness of eggs properly. —Rachel King, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025

Noun

While snacking on the savory, the first of the teas came out. —Yvette Walker, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2025

Goldie’s also hosts a delightful afternoon tea, with sweets like strawberry and cream cake, peaches and cream tart, early grey tea mousse along with savories such as butter scones, coronation gougere (cheese Gougère, coronation chicken salad, apricots, almonds), and burrata tomato tartine. —Rona Berg, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English saverey

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing savory

• summer savory
• winter savory

Rhymes for savory

• bravery
• knavery
• slavery
• antislavery
• proslavery
• unsavory

Kids Definition

savory

1 of 2 adjective

sa·​vory ˈsāv-(ə-)rē 

: pleasing to the taste or smell

savoriness noun

savory

2 of 2 noun

sa·​vo·​ry

ˈsāv-(ə-)rē

plural savories

: either of two European mints with leaves used in cooking as seasonings