What does savourless mean?
Savourless means lacking taste or flavour, but the word is also used figuratively for things that seem dull, ineffective, or without appeal. A meal may be described as savourless when it is bland or lacks seasoning, while a film, performance, piece of writing, or experience may be called savourless if it fails to stimulate the senses or imagination. The expression is more common in British English, although savorless is the usual American spelling. Its figurative use is usually critical but not necessarily harsh: it suggests a lack of substance or interest rather than an outright disaster. The word is especially useful when discussing both literal food and the broader notion of something memorable but unstimulating.
adjectiveLacking flavour or taste; figuratively, dull, uninteresting, or lacking appeal.
- Having little or no taste or flavour.
- Lacking interest, excitement, or emotional appeal; dull or uninspiring.
"The sauce was delicious, but the chicken itself was dry and savourless."
"After several mouthfuls of the savourless stew, he stopped eating."
"The critics dismissed the novel as a savourless exercise in imitation."
A word for food with no flavour, and for writing, films, or experiences that leave no impression.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does savourless come from?
Savourless was formed by adding the suffix -less to the older English word savour, meaning taste or flavour. Savour ultimately derives from Latin sapere, “to have a taste or sense,” through Old French. The same broad Latin root also underlies savoury, while American English developed the spelling savor through a similar historical path.
Related word forms
How savourless is actually used
Commonly used for food and drink, but it can also describe speech, writing, entertainment, or an experience. It is mildly critical rather than wholly neutral, and is especially associated with British English.
Easily confused with savourless
Tasteless can describe food that lacks flavour, but it can also mean socially inappropriate or badly judged, whereas savourless is primarily concerned with literal blandness or figurative dullness.