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savour

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savour¹

  • /ˈseɪvə/ UK
  • /ˈseɪvəɹ/ US

Sounds like saver · Rhymes with -eɪvə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English savour, from Anglo-Norman saveur, savor, savour, and Old French saveur, savor, savour (modern French saveur), from Latin sapor, from sapiō (“to taste of (something); to have a flavour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁p-, *sep- (“to taste; to try out”)) + -or (suffix forming third-declension masculine abstract nouns). Doublet of sapor.

noun savours · savor

  1. UK, countable An aroma or smell. And Noe [Noah] made an aulter vnto the LORDE⸝ and toke of all maner of clene beaſtes and all maner of clene foules⸝ and offred ſacrifyce vppon the aulter. And the LORDE ſmellyd a ſwete ſavoure and ſayd in his hert: I wyll henceforth no more curſe the erth for mannes ſake⸝ […]
  2. UK, uncountable The quality which the sense of taste detects; also (countable), a specific flavour or taste, especially one different from the predominant one. [B]y our Sences which conceiue al Colours, Sounds, Sents, Sauors, and Féelings; wée may ſee, heare, ſmell, taſt, and feele, that one ſelfſame workman made both the Sences, and the things that are ſubiect to the Sences.
  3. UK, countable, in the negative An appealing or appetizing flavour, especially one which is savoury or strong. Ye are the ſalte of the earth: but if the ſalte haue loſt his ſauour, vvherevvith ſhal it be ſalted? It is thenceforthe good for nothing, but to be caſt out, & to be troden vnder fote of men.
  4. UK, countable, figuratively A distinctive sensation like a flavour or taste, or an aroma or smell. [W]hy is not my life a continual Joy? and the ſavor of Heaven perpetually upon my ſpirit?
  5. UK, countable, figuratively A particular quality, especially a small amount of it; a hint or trace of something. Come ſir, this admiration is much of the ſauour of other your nevv prankes, I doe beſeech you vnderſtand my purpoſes aright, […]

    Similar: tinge

  6. UK, countable, figuratively, in the negative A quality which is appealing or enjoyable; merit, value.
  7. UK, archaic, countable, figuratively A reputation. The LORDE loke vpon you, ⁊ iudge it, for ye haue made the ſauoure of vs to ſtynke before Pharao and his ſeruauntes, and haue geuen them a ſwerde in their handes, to ſlaye vs.
  8. UK, figuratively, uncountable Enjoyment or taste for something; appreciation; pleasure; relish; (countable) an instance of this. Gerald shook his head in the savour of triumph.
  9. UK, figuratively, obsolete, uncountable Knowledge; understanding. [M]any of them were wery of theyr life, beyng very deſyrous of him [Jesus], of whom they had a certeyne ſauour and vnderſtandyng (ſimple though it wer:) who ſodenly ſhould renewe all kynde of men, and theyr ſynnes clerely abolyſhed, bryng them vnto the kyngdõ of righteouſneſſe.

savour²

  • /ˈseɪvə/ UK
  • /ˈseɪvəɹ/ US

Sounds like saver · Rhymes with -eɪvə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Middle English savouren, savour, from Anglo-Norman savorer, savourer, Middle French savorer, savourer, and Old French savorer, savourer (modern French savourer), from Late Latin sapōrāre, the present active infinitive of sapōrō (“to give flavour, make tasty; to give pleasure”), from Latin sapor (see etymology 1) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs).

verb savours · savouring · savoured · savour

  1. UK, transitive To detect (a flavour or taste, or food or drink); to taste; specifically, to enjoy or linger on (a flavour or taste, or food and drink); to relish. He closed his eyes so he could really savour his dessert.
  2. UK, transitive To give (food or drink) flavour; to flavour, to season. What Flesh is fitting for Man to Eat, / Until our Herbs do savour the Meat?
  3. UK, archaic, transitive To detect (an aroma or smell, especially an appealing one); to smell. VViſedome and goodnes, to the vild ſeeme vild, / Filths ſauor but themſelues, vvhat haue you done?
  4. UK, figuratively, transitive To enjoy (something) deeply or in a lingering manner; to appreciate, to delight in, to relish. VVhẽ vvickednes vvas ſvvete in his mouthe, & he hid it vnder his tongue, / And ſauoured it, and vvolde not forſake it, but kept it cloſe in his mouth, / Then his meat in his bovvels vvas turned: the gall of aſpes vvas in the middes of hĩ [him].
  5. UK, figuratively, transitive, in the negative To find (something) appealing; to appreciate, to like. The man that coueteth gold, conceiueth not goodneſſe, his appetite is of the earth, and thoſe that are earthly minded, ſauour not the things that are of God.

    Similar: care for

  6. UK, archaic, figuratively, transitive To possess (a particular, often negative, quality), especially a small amount of it; to be redolent or suggestive of (something). No more be mention'd then of violence / Againſt our ſelves, and vvilful barrenneſs, / That cuts us off from hope, and ſavours onely / Rancor and pride, impatience and deſpite, / Reluctance againſt God and his juſt yoke / Laid on our Necks.
  7. UK, figuratively, obsolete, transitive To be appealing to (a person, the senses, etc.).
  8. UK, figuratively, obsolete, transitive To experience, perceive, or understand (something). BY novv, perhaps, thou ſauoreſts^([sic – meaning savorest]) ſome Godhead: yeat, is ods. / VVith paſte and preſent times doeſt dreame Pluralitie of Gods. / So did in deed the Monarchies, ſo Miſcreants novv not fevv: / But liſten here vvhat Gods they vvere, and learne them to eſchevv.
  9. UK, figuratively, obsolete, transitive To give (something) a particular quality; to imbue with. So theſe olde huddles hauing ouercharged their gorges with fancie, accompte all honeſt recreation méere follly,^([sic]) and hauinge taken a ſurfet of delyght, ſéeme now to ſauor it with deſpight.
  10. UK, figuratively, obsolete, rare, transitive To give (something) an aroma or smell.
  11. UK, figuratively, obsolete, rare, transitive Followed by out: to detect or find (something).
  12. UK, figuratively, obsolete, transitive To have a suspicion of (something). Siſter, I ſee you ſauour of my vviles, / Be it as you vvill haue for this once, […]
  13. UK, archaic, intransitive Of a thing: to give off a (specified) aroma or smell. [T]he ſaffrone bagge that hath bene full of ſaffron, or hath had ſaffron in it, doth euer after ſauoure and ſmel of the ſwete ſaffron that it conteyned: […]
  14. UK, archaic, intransitive, obsolete Of food or drink: to have a specified (especially appealing) flavour or taste. And I purpoſed to try, vvhether thoſe [meats] that pleaſed my taſte brought me commoditie or diſcommoditie; and vvhether that Proverb,[…], That vvhich ſavours, is good and nouriſheth, be conſonant to truth. This upon triall I found moſt falſe: […]
  15. UK, figuratively, intransitive To possess a particular (often negative) quality, especially a small amount of it; to be redolent or suggestive of. Ol[ivia]. […] Fetch Maluolio hither, / And yet alas, novv I remember me, / They ſay poore Gentleman, he's much diſtract. […] Did he vvrite this? / Clo[wn]. I [aye] Madame. / Du[ke Orsino]. This ſauours not much of diſtraction.
  16. UK, archaic, figuratively, intransitive Chiefly followed by a descriptive word like ill or well: to have a specified quality. What is loathsome to the young / Savours well to thee and me.
  17. UK, intransitive, obsolete To give off a foul smell; to stink.
  18. UK, figuratively, intransitive, obsolete Chiefly followed by to, unto, with, etc.: to be appealing.

Translations

Every language

noun specific flavour or taste

Portuguêssabor
DeutschAroma, Geschmack
Italianosapore
Русскийпри́вкус prívkus, вкус vkus

verb to enjoy or linger on (a flavour or taste, or food and drink)

Españolsaborear, deleitarse
中文品味 pǐnwèi
Portuguêssaborear, sentir prazer em
Françaissavourer, se délecter
Deutschgenießen, reizvoll finden, sich schmecken lassen
Русскийсмакова́ть smakovátʹ
Tiếng Việtăn ngon miệng

verb to enjoy (something) deeply or in a lingering manner — see also appreciate, delight in, relish

Españolsaborear
Portuguêssaborear
Françaissavourer, déguster
Deutschauskosten, genießen
Italianoassaporare, degustare
Românăda gust
Русскийнаслажда́ться naslaždátʹsja, смакова́ть smakovátʹ
Tiếng Việtăn ngon miệng

verb of a thing: to give off a (specified) aroma or smell

Deutschriechen

verb of food or drink: to have a specified (especially appealing) flavour or taste

Deutschschmecken
Italianoassaporare
Русскийиме́ть при́вкус imétʹ prívkus, име́ть вкус imétʹ vkus

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Cite this
MLA

"savour." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/savour. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

savour. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/savour

Chicago

"savour." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/savour.

BibTeX
@misc{savour_2026,
  title = {savour},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/savour},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}