savory

Meanings

Adjective

• Tasty, attractive to the palate.
• Salty and/or spicy, but not sweet.
• umami, modern
• Morally or ethically acceptable.

Noun

• A savory snack.
• Any of several Mediterranean herbs, of the genus Satureja, grown as culinary flavourings.
• The leaves of these plants used as a flavouring.

Origin

• From the Middle English savory, savourie, from Old French savouré, from Old French savourer, from Late Latin sapōrāre, present active infinitive of sapōrō, from Latin sapor, from sapio.
• From Middle English saverey, possibly from Old English sæþerie, from Latin satureia, influenced by or via Old French savereie.