savories
savories — noun
1. small dishes of food that have a salty or spicy flavor rather than a sweet one —
small dishes of food that have a salty or spicy flavor rather than a sweet one — served before a meal as appetizers or as part of a buffet or cocktail party.
The host served a tray of savories including mini quiches and spiced nuts.
collocation: a tray of savories
Vivek prefers savories over sweets, so he always picks the cheese platter at parties.
The restaurant's happy hour menu features hot and cold savories for only five dollars.
Waiters walked around the wedding reception offering savories on silver trays.
Ada ordered an assortment of savories and a separate dessert table for the party.
- appetizers
more general term for small dishes before a meal; savories are a type of appetizer
- hors d'oeuvres
French term for small pre-meal dishes, often more formal
- finger foods
items meant to be eaten with the hands; less specific about saltiness or spiciness
- sweets
sweet dishes served after a meal or alongside savories at a buffet
文法句型
savories as appetizers
hot/cold savories
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural form savories. Singular savory is less common and refers to one such item.
常見錯誤
2. the rich, full taste known as umami — produced by natural compounds like glutama
the rich, full taste known as umami — produced by natural compounds like glutamate in foods such as aged cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, ripe tomatoes, and cooked meat; one of the five basic tastes alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
The aged Parmesan has natural savories that give the pasta a rich, meat-like depth.
collocation: natural savories in [food]
Chef Maeve added shiitake mushrooms to the broth to bring out the savories without any meat.
collocation: bring out the savories
When tomatoes simmer for hours, their natural savories become much more intense.
Vinícius explained that soy sauce contributes extra savories to stir-fries, making them taste heartier.
The miso soup gets its deep flavor from the natural savories in the fermented soybean paste.
- umami
borrowed from Japanese; the standard term in food science and cooking for this taste
- savoriness
the singular noun form for the quality of being savory
- sweetness
the opposite taste category on the flavor spectrum
文法句型
the savories of [food]
用法筆記
Used most often in the plural form savories when referring to the quality or presence of umami in food. The singular form (savoriness) is also common for this taste concept.
常見錯誤
3. a plant from the mint family whose leaves are used in cooking to add a mild, pep
a plant from the mint family whose leaves are used in cooking to add a mild, peppery flavor to food — the two main types are summer savory and winter savory.
The garden had a small patch of savories growing next to the rosemary and basil.
collocation: a patch of savories
Dewi planted two types of savories near the kitchen door for easy access while cooking.
countable: two types of savories
Rania planted savories along the south-facing wall of her cottage, where they thrived in the dry, sunny conditions.
Zola dried the savories she had grown and stored the leaves in glass jars for winter cooking.
Eli picked fresh savories from the garden to season the evening bean stew.
- savory herb
a clearer phrase to avoid confusion with the food or taste meanings of savory
文法句型
savories as a plant
dried savories
用法筆記
When referring to the herb as a dried seasoning, savories is often treated as uncountable ('add some savories to the soup'). As a living plant, it is countable and typically plural ('the savories need watering').
4. the annual summer variety of the savory herb (Satureja hortensis) — it has thin,
the annual summer variety of the savory herb (Satureja hortensis) — it has thin, soft leaves with a gentle peppery taste similar to thyme, and is best used fresh in salads, green beans, and light summer dishes.
Gita added fresh summer savory to the green bean salad for a light peppery taste.
collocation: fresh summer savory
Unlike winter savory, the summer variety has a gentler flavor that fades during long cooking.
contrast with winter savory
Manuela followed her grandmother's recipe for white bean salad, adding one tablespoon of chopped summer savory leaves.
Tyler grew summer savory in a pot on the balcony because it needs less space.
The small white flowers of summer savory appeared in July and attracted dozens of bees to Gita's garden.
- Satureja hortensis
the scientific name used in botanical contexts
- garden savory
another common name for the same plant
文法句型
summer savory as a herb
用法筆記
Summer savory is an annual plant — it completes its life cycle in one growing season and must be replanted each year. Distinguished from sense 5 (winter savory) by its milder flavor and annual growth habit.
5. the perennial winter variety of the savory herb (Satureja montana) — it has dark
the perennial winter variety of the savory herb (Satureja montana) — it has dark, tough leaves with a bold, peppery flavor that stays strong during long cooking, making it ideal for bean soups, stews, and roasted meats.
Piotr used winter savory in the stew because its bold taste lasts during long cooking.
collocation: winter savory in [dish]
Dried winter savory leaves work very well in bean soups and roasted lamb dishes.
dried winter savory
Naoko found that winter savory adds a spicy kick to braised lentils and root vegetables.
Mayumi stepped outside in December and picked fresh winter savory from the snow-dusted plants along the path.
Eri added just a pinch of dried winter savory to her lentil soup, and the flavor became rich and satisfying.
- Satureja montana
the scientific name used in botanical contexts
- mountain savory
another common name referring to its native mountain habitat
文法句型
winter savory as a herb
用法筆記
Winter savory is a perennial plant — it lives for several years and can be harvested throughout the year. Its stronger flavor makes it better suited to cooked dishes than the more delicate summer savory (sense 4).