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Savory vs Spicy - What's the difference?

savory | spicy |

As adjectives the difference between savory and spicy

is that savory is tasty, attractive to the palate while spicy is of, pertaining to, or containing spice.

As a noun savory

is a savory snack.

savory

English

(wikipedia savory)

Alternative forms

* savoury (British)

Etymology 1

From the (etyl) savoure, from savourer, from (etyl) saporare, from sapor

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Tasty, attractive to the palate.
    • The fine restaurant presented an array of savory dishes; each was delicious.
  • Salty or non-sweet.
    • The mushrooms, meat, bread, rice, peanuts and potatoes were all good savory foods.
  • Not overly sweet.
    • The savory duck contrasted well with the sweet sauce.
  • (figuratively) Morally or ethically acceptable.
    • Readers are to be warned that quotations in this chapter contain some not so savory language.
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Noun

    (savories)
  • A snack.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2007, date=April 18, author=Florence Fabricant, title=Off the Menu, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=P*ONG On Friday the pastry chef Pichet Ong will open his own cafe, with sweets and savories served at tables and a counter. }}

    Etymology 2

    (Satureja) Possibly from (etyl) saetherie, from (etyl) satureia, influenced by or via (etyl) savereie

    Noun

    (savories)
  • Any of several Mediterranean herbs, of the genus , grown as culinary flavourings.
  • The leaves of these plants used as a flavouring.
    • Derived terms
    * summer savory * winter savory

    spicy

    English

    Alternative forms

    * spicey

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Of, pertaining to, or containing spice.
    • He prepared a spicy casserole.
  • (of flavors) Provoking a burning sensation due to the presence of chillies or similar hot spices.
    • ''This curry is too spicy for me. I can't eat it.
  • (of flavors or odors) Tangy, zesty, or pungent.
    • She breathed in the strong, spicy aroma.
  • (of expression or behavior) Vigorous; colorful; stimulating.
    • He is known for his spicy political commentary.
  • , sexy, racy; mildly pornographic.
    • I don't want my children to see the spicy images on this web site.

    Synonyms

    * (piquant) hot

    References

    * * * * " spicy" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996) ----