variants
or chiefly British savoury
: having savor: such as
a
: piquantly pleasant to the mind
a savory triumph
b
: morally exemplary : edifying
… scandals don't make very savory reading.—
Green Peyton
Green Peyton
c
: pleasing to the sense of taste or smell especially by reason of effective seasoning
a savory dinner
the savory smells wafting from the kitchen
d
: having a spicy or salty quality without sweetness
an assortment of both sweet and savory appetizers
e
: being, inducing, or marked by the rich or meaty taste sensation of umami
savory flavors
variants
or chiefly British savoury
plural savories or chiefly British savouries
1
: a small serving of food that is spicy or salty but not sweet
Those tempted toward savories can nibble on smoked-salmon or lobster-rémoulade tea sandwiches.—Andy Birsh
Andy Birsh2
: the taste sensation that is produced by several amino acids and nucleotides (such as glutamate and aspartate) and has a rich or meaty flavor characteristic of cheese, cooked meat, mushrooms, soy, and ripe tomatoes : umami
plural savories
Synonyms
Examples of savory in a Sentence
Adjective
They prepared an assortment of both sweet and savory foods.
cedar is one of the most savory of all woods
Recent Examples on the Web
Nicole Hopper, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024
That could be in a smoothie that already has a fair amount of it (say, in the form of yogurt or whole milk) or in savory dishes like tofu curry or soup.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 4 Nov. 2024
Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Oct. 2024
The restaurant offers several high tea experiences, including its Queen of Hearts service that includes tea, an appetizer, a scones course, a savories course, and a dessert trio.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for savory 
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Adjective
The rich savory sweetness of roasted onions teams up with onion soup mix and everybody’s favorite casserole topping—French’s fried onions—to infuse this bird with oniony flavor from the inside out.
—Nicole Hopper, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024
That could be in a smoothie that already has a fair amount of it (say, in the form of yogurt or whole milk) or in savory dishes like tofu curry or soup.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
Bobcat Bonnie’s also offers brunch with an extensive menu of breakfast items and savories, plus its signature cocktails.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Oct. 2024
The restaurant offers several high tea experiences, including its Queen of Hearts service that includes tea, an appetizer, a scones course, a savories course, and a dessert trio.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for savory
Dictionary Entries Near savory
Cite this Entry
“Savory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/savory. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
savory
2 of 2 noun
sa·vo·ry
ˈsāv-(ə-)rē
plural savories
: either of two European mints with leaves used in cooking as seasonings
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