variants
or British savoury
formal
1
: having a pleasant taste or smell
a savory aroma
2
: having a spicy or salty quality without being sweet
They prepared an assortment of both sweet and savory foods.
3
: morally good
—usually used in negative statements
His reputation was anything but savory. [=his reputation was unsavory]
her less savory friend
variants
or British savoury
plural savories
formal
: a small serving of food that is spicy or salty but not sweet : a savory food
They prepared assorted sweets and savories.
Cite this Entry
“Savory.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/savory. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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