savory

savory — adjective

IPA/ˈseɪvəri/
KK[sˈevɚi]IPA/ˈseɪvəri/
  • savorypositive
  • more savorycomparative
  • most savorysuperlative

1. Used for food that tastes pleasantly salty, spicy, or herby instead of sugary.

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Used for food that tastes pleasantly salty, spicy, or herby instead of sugary.

Example

Iris packed a savory mushroom pie for the train ride north.

savory + food noun; contrast with sweet pies

At the fair, Christopher chose a savory crepe with ham and cheese.

Common collocations
  • savory pie
  • savory snack
  • savory sauce
  • savory filling
  • savory breakfast
Synonyms
  • salty

    narrower; focuses on salt level and can be negative if there is too much

  • spicy

    focuses on heat or strong seasoning, not the sweet-versus-non-sweet contrast

  • flavourful

    broader; can describe any rich taste, including sweet foods

Antonyms
  • sweet

    having a sugary taste rather than a salty or spicy one

Grammar Patterns

savory + noun (pie/snack/sauce)

be + savory

Usage Note

Most often used when the speaker is contrasting a dish with something sweet. Distinguish from sense 2, which praises an appealing smell or flavour more generally.

Common Mistakes

The soup was savory because the cook added too much salt.
The soup was too salty.
'savory' suggests a pleasant non-sweet taste, while 'salty' only says there is a lot of salt.

2. Making food seem inviting when you smell or taste it, often because the seasonin

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

Making food seem inviting when you smell or taste it, often because the seasoning feels rich and well balanced.

Example

A savory smell drifted from the soup pot into the hallway.

collocation: savory smell

When Linh opened the oven, a savory wave of garlic filled the room.

Common collocations
  • savory smell
  • savory aroma
  • savory steam
  • savory scent
Synonyms
  • appetizing

    often emphasizes that food looks or smells ready to eat

  • flavourful

    focuses more on a rich, noticeable taste than on smell

  • palatable

    more formal and weaker; means acceptable to eat rather than especially inviting

Antonyms
  • unappetizing

    making food seem unpleasant or unappealing

  • bland

    lacking strong smell or taste

Grammar Patterns

a savory smell/aroma

be + savory

Usage Note

Usually describes a smell, aroma, or general flavour impression rather than the sweet-versus-salty contrast in sense 1. Common with soup, stew, garlic, onions, and roasting meat.

Common Mistakes

The perfume had a savory smell.
The soup had a savory smell.
this sense is mainly used for food smells and flavours, not floral perfume.

3. Describing conduct, deals, or people that seem proper and acceptable by ordinary

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

Describing conduct, deals, or people that seem proper and acceptable by ordinary social standards, often after a negative word.

Example

Rania warned her son that the website did not look savory.

often appears after not

The charity had a savory reputation in the town for decades.

Common collocations
  • savory reputation
  • savory character
  • savory deal
  • less savory partners
Synonyms
  • respectable

    more common and slightly broader; often includes social status as well as moral acceptability

  • proper

    focuses on correct or polite behavior rather than reputation

  • decent

    everyday word for morally acceptable or fair

Antonyms
  • unsavory

    the usual opposite in modern English

  • shady

    informal; suggests dishonesty or hidden wrongdoing

Grammar Patterns

be (not) savory

look (less) savory

Usage Note

Much more common after not, less, or other negative framing than in plain positive statements. Often used about a person's reputation, a business deal, or the moral tone of a situation.

Common Mistakes

The bribery scandal made the company savory.
The bribery scandal made the company look unsavory.
bad behavior is usually described with 'unsavory' or 'not savory', not plain 'savory'.

savory — noun

IPA/ˈseɪ.vər.i/
KK[sˈevɚi]IPA/ˈseɪ.vɚ.i/

Word family

  • savor
    nounB2
  • savor
    verbC1
  • unsavory
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words overlap in food talk, but they do different jobs. Savory is the opposite of sweet and usually points to pies, soups, snacks, or sauces with salt, herbs, cheese, meat, or spices. Tasty is broader and simply says the food is pleasant to eat; ice cream can be tasty, but it is not savory. Salty focuses narrowly on the taste of salt and can even sound negative if there is too much. Spicy highlights heat or strong seasoning, so a curry may be spicy without being cheesy or meaty. Flavourful is broader again and praises richness of taste without the sweet-versus-savory contrast. Use savory when that contrast matters: 'We brought savory pastries for lunch and sweet buns for dessert.'

savory ↗tasty ↗salty ↗spicy ↗flavourful ↗

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Savory is the American spelling of savoury. The adjective grew in English from savor or savour plus the suffix '-y', meaning 'having that quality'. The older noun savor came through Old French from Latin sapor, meaning 'taste' or 'flavour'. The herb name belongs to the same word family because the plant became known for the taste it adds to food.

First known use

13th century

13th century, in the meaning defined above Noun (1)