flavour

flavour — noun

1. the particular quality of a food or drink that you notice when it is in your mou

1.nounA1
Definition

the particular quality of a food or drink that you notice when it is in your mouth — for example, a sweet flavour in a cake, a tangy flavour in a lemon, or a smoky flavour in grilled meat.

Example

Gabriel added fresh herbs to give the soup a richer flavour.

collocation: give + flavour + adjective

This yoghurt has a pleasant strawberry flavour without being too sweet.

collocation: pleasant / rich / strong flavour

Common collocations
  • strong flavour
  • rich flavour
  • distinctive flavour
  • natural flavour
  • artificial flavour
  • add flavour to
  • lose its flavour
  • enhance the flavour
Synonyms
  • taste

    broader and more common in everyday use; 'flavour' often implies a more distinct or pleasing quality

  • savour

    more formal; focuses on the slow enjoyment of a taste

Antonyms

Common Mistakes

The flavour of this cake tastes very sweet.
This cake has a very sweet flavour.
'flavour' already describes taste, so pairing it with 'tastes' is redundant.

2. a quality, atmosphere, or style that makes a place, event, or thing feel unique

2.nounB2
Definition

a quality, atmosphere, or style that makes a place, event, or thing feel unique and interesting — for example, the old-fashioned flavour of a historic town, or the international flavour of a food festival.

Example

The narrow streets and stone buildings give the town a real old-world flavour.

collocation: give + [place] + a [adjective] flavour

The festival has a distinctly local flavour, with food and music from the region.

collocation: local / international / modern flavour

Common collocations
  • local flavour
  • international flavour
  • old-world flavour
  • regional flavour
  • distinctly [adjective] flavour
  • give [something] a flavour
Synonyms
  • character

    broader term for the distinctive nature of something; less metaphorical

  • atmosphere

    focuses specifically on the mood or feel of a place

  • ambience

    more formal; refers to the character and mood of a place

Antonyms
  • uniformity

    lack of distinctive character or variety

Usage Note

Commonly used with adjectives that describe origin or style: 'local flavour', 'international flavour', 'modern flavour', 'traditional flavour'. Unlike sense 1, this sense does NOT refer to food taste.

Common Mistakes

The restaurant has a nice flavour.' (when meaning atmosphere)
The restaurant has a nice atmosphere / a cosy feel.
use 'atmosphere' or 'feel' for places unless you specifically want the metaphor of 'flavour'.

3. a short experience that reveals, in a limited way, what the full or longer exper

3.nounB2
Definition

a short experience that reveals, in a limited way, what the full or longer experience would be — for example, getting a flavour of a foreign culture during a short trip, or a flavour of a new job during your first week.

Example

The one-day workshop gave us a flavour of what studying law is really like.

pattern: a flavour of + [experience]

Aoi read the first chapter to get a flavour of the author's writing style.

collocation: get a flavour of

Common collocations
  • a flavour of
  • get a flavour of
  • give a flavour of
  • offer a flavour of
  • provide a flavour of
  • a brief flavour of
Synonyms
  • sample

    more concrete; often used for physical things or data

  • taste

    very similar but more casual; 'a taste of something'

  • foretaste

    suggests something that comes before a fuller experience; less common

Grammar Patterns

a flavour of + noun

Usage Note

Only used in the singular, almost always followed by 'of' + noun. Common verbs are 'get', 'give', 'offer', and 'provide'.

Idioms

flavour of the month

idiom

a person, thing, or idea that is very popular for a short time, but probably will not stay popular for long.

Electric scooters were the flavour of the month last summer, but now people seem less interested.

flavour — verb

Word family

  • flavouring
    nounB1
  • flavourful
    adjectiveB2
  • flavourless
    adjectiveB2
  • flavoured
    adjectiveB1
  • unflavoured
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Flavour and taste are the two most common words for how food registers in the mouth. Taste is broader and more neutral — it can describe any food or drink, including unpleasant ones ('a bitter taste'). Flavour often suggests a more distinct, intentional, or pleasing quality, as in 'the rich flavour of aged cheese', and can also refer to a characterising ingredient such as vanilla or strawberry. Savour is more formal and implies slow, appreciative enjoyment: 'He ate the dish slowly, savouring every mouthful.' Tang describes a sharp, strong flavour that is pleasantly biting, like citrus or ginger — it is more specific and less common than the others. In daily conversation, 'taste' is safest; for describing a pleasant or crafted quality in food, 'flavour' is ideal.

flavour ↗taste ↗savourtang

Common collocations

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'flavour' entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'flaor' (meaning smell or odour). That French term came from Latin 'flagrare' (to burn), linked to the idea of smells produced by fire. Over time the meaning shifted from smell to the combined sense of taste and smell in food. The -our spelling is the standard British form; American English uses 'flavor'. Both spellings are correct, but learners should be consistent depending on which variety of English they are following.