# flavor

/ˈfɫeɪvɝ/ (US) · /flˈeɪvɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flavor
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. a specific variety

noun · CEFR A2 · American English

a specific type of taste, like chocolate or vanilla.

For teachers: a specific category of taste attributed to a food, beverage, or medication.

- Which flavor of ice cream would you like for dessert?
- The manufacturer expanded the product line to include a spicy lime flavor, targeting a younger demographic interested in bold snacks.

### 3. characteristic quality

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the special feeling or quality that something has.

For teachers: the distinctive or characteristic quality of a place, time, or activity.

- The street performers give the city a very international flavor.
- The director incorporated traditional folk instruments to give the film's soundtrack an authentic regional flavor.

### 4. kind or type

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Informal

a particular version or type of something, like a software program.

For teachers: a specific variety or version of a concept, system, or object.

- The company offers several different flavors of its accounting software.
- While the core engine remains the same, the operating system is available in several flavors tailored for different hardware architectures.

### 5. particle physics

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Technical

a way to describe different types of tiny particles in science.

For teachers: a quantum number of elementary particles, relating to their weak interaction.

- Quarks come in six different flavors, including 'up' and 'down'.
- In the Standard Model, flavor physics explores the interactions that allow quarks to change from one flavor to another via the weak force.

### 6. to add taste

verb · CEFR B1 · American English

to add herbs, spices, or other things to food to make it taste better.

For teachers: to impart a particular taste to food or drink by adding ingredients.

- You can flavor the soup with a little bit of fresh basil.
- The chef chose to flavor the reduction with star anise, providing a subtle licorice note that complemented the roasted duck.

## Examples

- This ice cream has a strong vanilla flavor.
- The chef added fresh herbs to the sauce to enhance its natural flavor before serving.
- The local architecture has a distinct Mediterranean flavor, reflecting the historical influence of coastal trade routes on the city's development.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.