What does sour mean?
Sour most commonly describes a sharp, acidic taste, as in sour fruit, sour milk, or a sour cocktail. The word also conveys emotional and figurative meanings: a sour expression or person may be resentful, bitter, or unpleasant, while a sour relationship or situation has become difficult and unpleasant. Sour can describe food or drink that has spoiled, fermented, or curdled, and expressions such as turn sour and sour grapes are common in both literal and figurative speech. Its usefulness lies in its ability to connect taste with broader ideas of decay, disappointment, and resentment. Although it is sometimes used informally to characterize a person’s mood, it is also a standard and precise word in descriptions of food, beverages, and experiences.
Having a sharp, acidic, or tart taste; unpleasant or resentful in mood; or spoiled, rancid, or otherwise turned bad.
"She drank the sour juice and frowned."
The figurative senses of sour are common in descriptions of moods, relationships, and situations.
To become sour, especially through spoilage or fermentation. It can also mean to make something sour or to cause a situation or relationship to become unpleasant.
"The milk soured while it was left unrefrigerated."
The verb often appears in intransitive constructions such as the milk soured or the situation soured.
A sour-tasting drink, especially a cocktail containing lemon juice or another acidic ingredient.
"He ordered a sour with a large piece of ice."
The noun is informal and is chiefly used for a mixed drink.
Plural sours is uncommon but is used for multiple sour drinks or cocktails.
"The bar serves several sours with different citrus juices."
Sour can describe more than a sharp taste: it can capture a bitter mood, a strained relationship, or a situation that has gone bad.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sour
Sour descends from Old English sūr, an inherited Germanic word meaning sour or bitter, which continued into Middle English in the modern form sour. The word is related to cognates in other Germanic languages, including German sauer and Dutch zuur, and to forms such as Swedish sur. Its development preserved both the literal sense of an acidic or bitter taste and figurative uses associated with harshness, resentment, and unpleasantness.
Related word forms
How sour is actually used
In everyday use, sour is often strongly evaluative. It can describe food, but it also commonly characterizes a person’s attitude, a dispute, or a situation. The phrase sour grapes refers to rejecting something desirable because it cannot be obtained, while turn sour or go sour can refer to either food spoiling or a relationship or situation becoming unpleasant.
Easily confused with sour
Sour usually describes an acidic taste, an unpleasant mood, or something that has become spoiled, whereas sore typically means painful or tender.