savor

1 of 2

noun

sa·​vor ˈsā-vər How to pronounce savor (audio)
variants or less commonly savour
1
: the taste or smell of something
2
: a particular flavor or smell
3
: a distinctive quality
savorless adjective
savorous
ˈsā-vər-əs How to pronounce savor (audio)
ˈsāv-rəs
adjective

savor

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly savour
savored also savoured; savoring also savouring ˈsā-vər-iŋ How to pronounce savor (audio)
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 noun

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
Verb
Key Lime Break — Loki and Mobius share a moment savoring a key lime pie in the TVA lunchroom. John Archer, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 Controlled by one’s mobile device or tablet with the Focal & Naim app for iOs and Android, this loudspeaker setup offers a simplicity that, once savored, can become an addiction—one that will cost you $39,999 per pair. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2024 Grab a bite at the year-round farmers’ market, savor free summertime con-certs on the Kanawha River, or cheer at a minor-leagueDirty Birds game. Ashley Cusick, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024 In what has been a pretty strong series of cold opens over the first month of SNL’s 50th season this election year so far, tonight had an exceptionally fine wine cellar of satire to savor for its fourth episode of the current run. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for savor 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'savor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

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

Dictionary Entries Near savor

Cite this Entry

“Savor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savor. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

savor

1 of 2 noun
sa·​vor ˈsā-vər How to pronounce savor (audio)
1
: the taste and odor of something
2
: something clearly marking one as different from others
savorless adjective

savor

2 of 2 verb
savored; savoring ˈsāv-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce savor (audio)
1
: to have a specified smell or quality
2
: to give flavor to
3
: to taste or smell with pleasure : relish
savorer noun

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