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Savour

 [sey-ver]   Origin

sa·vor

   [sey-ver]
noun
1.
the quality in a substance that affects the sense of taste or of smell.
2.
a particular taste or smell.
3.
distinctive quality or property.
4.
power to excite or interest.
5.
Archaic. repute.
verb (used without object)
6.
to have savor, taste, or odor.
7.
to exhibit the peculiar characteristics; smack (often followed by of): His business practices savor of greed.

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Savour is always a great word to know.
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a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
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verb (used with object)
8.
to give a savor to; season; flavor.
9.
to perceive by taste or smell, especially with relish: to savor the garden's odors.
10.
to give oneself to the enjoyment of: to savor the best in life.
Also, especially British, sa·vour.

Origin:
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English sav(o)ur < Old French savour < Latin sapōrem, accusative of sapor taste, derivative of sapere to taste (compare sapient); (v.) Middle English sav(o)uren < Old French savourer < Late Latin sapōrāre, derivative of sapor

Related forms
sa·vor·er, noun
sa·vor·ing·ly, adverb
sa·vor·less, adjective
sa·vor·ous, adjective
out·sa·vor, verb (used with object)
EXPAND
un·sa·vored, adjective
COLLAPSE

Can be confused: savior, savor, savory.

Synonyms
1. relish, smack; odor, scent, fragrance. See taste.

Usage note
See -or1.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To Savour
Collins
World English Dictionary
savour or savor (ˈseɪvə)
 
—n
1.  the quality in a substance that is perceived by the sense of taste or smell
2.  a specific taste or smell: the savour of lime
3.  a slight but distinctive quality or trace
4.  the power to excite interest: the savour of wit has been lost
5.  archaic reputation
 
—vb (often foll by of) (often foll by of)
6.  to possess the taste or smell (of)
7.  to have a suggestion (of)
8.  (tr) to give a taste to; season
9.  (tr) to taste or smell, esp appreciatively
10.  (tr) to relish or enjoy
 
[C13: from Old French savour, from Latin sapor taste, from sapere to taste]
 
savor or savor
 
—n
 
—vb
 
[C13: from Old French savour, from Latin sapor taste, from sapere to taste]
 
'savourless or savor
 
—adj
 
'savorless or savor
 
—adj
 
'savorous or savor
 
—adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

savor
early 13c., from O.Fr. savour, from L. saporem (nom. sapor) "taste, flavor," related to sapere "to have a flavor" (see sapient). The verb (c.1300) is from O.Fr. savourer, from L.L. saporare, from L. sapor.
EXPAND

savour
British spelling of savor (q.v.); for suffix, see -or.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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