flavor

especially British, fla·vour

[fley-ver]

noun

1. taste, especially the distinctive taste of something as it is experienced in the mouth.

2. a substance or extract that provides a particular taste; flavoring.

   Synonyms: seasoning

3. the characteristic quality of a thing.

   He captured the flavor of the experience in his book.

   Synonyms: spirit, essence

4. a particular quality noticeable in a thing.

   language with a strong nautical flavor.

5. Physics.,  any of the six labels given to the distinct kinds of quark: up, down, strange, charm, bottom, and top.

6. Archaic.,  smell, odor, or aroma.

verb (used with object)

1. to give flavor to (something).

flavor

1. Any of six classifications of quark varieties, distinguished by mass and electric charge. The flavors have the names up, down, strange, charm, top, and bottom. Protons in atomic nuclei are composed of two up quarks and one down quark, while neutrons consist of one up quark and two down quarks. The flavor of a quark may be changed in interactions involving the weak force.

Other Word Forms

• flavorless adjective
• deflavor verb (used with object)
• overflavor verb
• preflavor noun
• unflavored adjective
• well-flavored adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flavor¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French fla(o)ur, from unattested Late Latin flātor “stench, breath,” alteration of Latin flātus a “blowing, breathing,” ( flatus ), perhaps with -or of fētor fetor

Synonym Study

See taste.

Example Sentences

McCormick is a leader in the flavorings industry that is capitalizing on the growing segment at grocery stores.

Read more on Barron's

One of the most in-demand offerings at Butterfield Market is its frozen yogurt; six flavors are available at a time, the most popular of which is plain.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A 2023 Department of Homeland Security memo gives a flavor of what can be allowed during a shutdown without prior approval.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

What Kubick is really teaching, beneath the moon cycles and cheese boards, is a framework for flavor.

Read more on Salon

The temperature was cool most of the year, without frost or heat, an environment that allows grapes to grow in abundance—and slowly develop the concentrated flavors that wine drinkers covet.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• acidity 
• aroma 
• essence 
• extract 
• seasoning 
• sweetness www.thesaurus.com
• zest