flavor

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
  2. noun the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth
  3. noun (physics) the six kinds of quarks

Etymology

From Middle English flavour meaning “smell, odour”, usually pleasing, borrowed from Old French flaour (“smell, odour”) (cfr. Sicilian ciàguru, its etymology and semantic), from Vulgar Latin *flātor (“odour, that which blows”), from Latin flātor (“blower”), from flō, flāre (“to blow, puff”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₁- (“to blow”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to make a loud noise”). Doublet of blow and bleat.

In classic literature

Synonyms

spirit, tone, feel, feeling, flavour, look, smell

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading