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. Five important differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour Labor or labour Favor or favour Favorite or favourite Color or colour Honor or honour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Theater or theatre Center or centre Meter or metre Liter or litre Saber or sabre Fiber or fibre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Realize or realise Recognize or recognise Analyze or analyse Organize or organise Minimize or minimise Finalize or finalise |
| 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. | Learned or learnt Burned or burnt Kneeled or knelt Dreamed or dreamt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt |
| 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. | Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling Canceled or cancelled Labeled or labelled Buses or busses Focused or focussed |
Frequently asked questions about flavour or flavor
- Is it flavoured or flavored?
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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.
