Flavour or Flavor | Definition, Spelling & Examples
Flavour is the correct spelling in British English for the verb and noun that refers to how things taste. In American English, the correct spelling is flavor. There is no difference in meaning, but the spellings are not interchangeable.
A well-written blurb can help to give you a flavour/flavor of what the book will be like.
For an extra-special taste, you can flavour/flavor the ice cream with salted caramel.
Flavour or Flavor
The only difference between the American English flavor and the British English flavour is in the spelling. The noun flavour/flavor refers to what taste something has (e.g., “The cordial tastes like summer because it has the flavour/flavor of elderflowers”).
The same is true for the verb flavour/flavor, which has the same meaning in both American English and British English of “impart a particular flavour/flavor to something” (e.g., “I like to flavour/flavor the gravy with a dash of red wine”).
It is also used figuratively to refer to the essential characteristics of something (e.g., “The welcome we received gave us a flavour/flavor of the generosity of our hosts”).
The stump speech gave us a flavour/flavor of the candidate’s upcoming election tactics.
An experienced chef might use more than a dozen spices to flavour/flavor their dishes.
In the US, the distinction is made by using “flavor” or “artificial flavor.”
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Some differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour Color or colour Favor or favour Flavor or flavour Favorite or favourite Honor or honour Humor or humour Labor or labour Neighbor or neighbour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Center or centre Fiber or fibre Theater or theatre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Analyze or analyse Organization or organisation Realize or realise Recognize or recognise |
| In British English, these words end in -yse or -ise. | ||
| -ed vs -t | In American English, most verbs are regular and form their past tense with the suffix -ed. | Burned or burnt Dreamed or dreamt Kneeled or knelt Learned or learnt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt Spilled or spilt |
| In British English, some of these verbs are irregular and form their past tense with the suffix -t. | ||
| Single vs double consonant | In American English, many words are spelled with a single consonant. | Buses or busses Canceled or cancelled Counselor or counsellor Focused or focussed Labeled or labelled Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling |
| In British English, these same words are often spelled with a double consonant. | ||
| Dropping vs retaining the “e” | In American English, “e” is often dropped when forming a noun from a verb | Acknowledgment or acknowledgement Aging or ageing Judgment or judgement |
| In British English, the “e” is often retained. | ||
| Different verb and noun spellings | In American English, most words have identical verb and noun spellings. | License or licence Practice or practise |
| In British English, some words have different spellings for the verb and noun forms. | ||
| Other spelling differences | There are many other spelling differences between the two English variants. | Airplane or aeroplane Aluminum or aluminium Check or cheque Cozy or cosy Defense or defence Dependent or dependant Enrollment or enrolment Fulfil or fulfill Gray or grey Jewelry or jewellery Karat or carat Mold or mould Offense or offence Pajamas or pyjamas Program or programme Skeptical or sceptical Tire or tyre |
Other interesting articles
If you want to know more about job applications, research, or idioms, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Job applications
Research
Frequently asked questions about flavour or flavor
- Is it flavoured or flavored?
-
In British English, the adjective is spelled flavoured, and in American English, it is spelled flavored. This is also the spelling for the simple past tense form and past participle.
The same is true of other forms of the verb flavour/flavor: flavours/flavors, flavouring/flavoring.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to ensure you have the correct spelling of flavour or flavor.
- Is it flavourful or flavorful?
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It depends on where your audience is located. In British English, the correct spelling is flavourful, and in American English, it is flavorful.
The “-our” or “-or” difference also holds true for the noun, verb, and adjective flavour/flavor, and all the forms of the verb (e.g., flavouring/flavoring).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker will help you to ensure that you have the correct spelling of flavour or flavor.
