flavor
FLAY-vuh
Also spelled flavour (UK spelling)
Flavor (noun) means (American spelling) The distinct taste of a food or drink. Example: “I prefer the strawberry flavor to the chocolate one.”
noun
1
(American spelling) The distinct taste of a food or drink.
"I prefer the strawberry flavor to the chocolate one."
"The soup had a rich, smoky flavor."
"This ice cream comes in a dozen different flavors."
2
The distinctive character or quality of something.
"The film captures the flavor of small-town life in the 1950s."
verb
1
To add taste or seasoning to something.
"You can flavor plain yoghurt with honey and a little cinnamon."
"He flavored the sauce with garlic and a squeeze of lemon."
"She flavored the stew with fresh herbs."
How to use flavor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe taste of something, or more broadly, the general character or feel of something.
UK vs US
This is the American spelling; British English uses "flavour."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
add flavor
burst of flavor
local flavor
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Word forms
- Plural
- flavors
- Third person singular
- flavors
- Past tense
- flavored
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I prefer the strawberry _____ to the chocolate one.
Etymology
From Old French flaour ("smell, odour"), from Latin flare ("to blow"). It originally referred mainly to smell before shifting to mean taste.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for flavor
See all rhymes for flavor →Frequently asked questions
What does “flavor” mean?
The word “flavor” means (American spelling) The distinct taste of a food or drink. In plain terms, the taste of something, or more broadly, the general character or feel of something.
How do you pronounce “flavor”?
“Flavor” is pronounced FLAY-vuh (/ˈfleɪvɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “flavor” in a sentence?
Here is “flavor” used in a sentence: “The soup had a rich, smoky flavor.”
What part of speech is “flavor”?
Depending on how it is used, “flavor” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “flavor” come from?
The word “flavor” comes from Latin. From Old French flaour ("smell, odour"), from Latin flare ("to blow"). It originally referred mainly to smell before shifting to mean taste.
Is “flavor” a common word?
“Flavor” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “flavor” have?
“Flavor” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (American spelling) The distinct taste of a food or drink.
What is the difference between flavor and flavour?
Flavor is the American spelling and flavour is the British spelling of the same word, with no difference in meaning. Use flavor for American audiences and flavour in the UK, Australia, and most other Commonwealth countries.
What is the difference between flavor and taste?
Taste refers to the basic sensations the tongue detects, such as sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, while flavor is the overall impression of a food, combining taste with aroma. That is why food seems to lose much of its flavor when your nose is blocked.
