The quality produced by the sensation of taste or, especially, of taste and smell in combined effect.
"The fresh basil added a vibrant flavor to the sauce that made it even more delicious."
In plain English: Flavor is the specific taste and smell that makes food feel unique to your senses.
"The ice cream had a delicious vanilla flavor that reminded me of summer."
Usage: Use this word when referring specifically to the sensory experience of food and drink rather than general style or character. As a verb, it means adding an ingredient like spices or extracts to enhance that specific sensation.
To add flavoring to something.
"She added lemon zest to the soup to enhance its flavor."
In plain English: To flavor something is to add taste to it, usually by mixing in spices or extracts.
"The chef will flavor this soup with fresh herbs and garlic."
The word flavor entered English in the Middle Ages as "flavour," originally referring to smell or odor rather than taste. It traveled into our language from Old French, where it carried this same meaning before eventually shifting to describe gustatory sensations today.