Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

unsavory

/ʌnˈseɪv.əɹ.i/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.72 in modern English

Syllables: un-sa-vory
IPA: /ʌnˈseɪv.əɹ.i/

14

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Not savory; without flavor.

American usage

adj

Of bad taste; distasteful.

American usage

adj

Making an activity undesirable.

American usage

adj

Disreputable, not respectable, of questionable moral character.

American usage

Example Sentences

"The little Pieces of Beef vvere like Plums in our Hodg-podg. Indeed 'tvvas not fit to be eaten any other vvay; for tho' it did not ſtink, yet it vvas very unſavory and black, vvithout the leaſt ſign of Fat in it: […]"
"His unsavory reputation as a mobster came back to haunt him when he ran for mayor of New York."
"[G]ood ſalt cannot relyſh in ſo vnſauory a mouth, […]"
"The case against Khela rested primarily on the testimony of two unsavoury witnesses, [who] had lengthy criminal records and [...] were members of a prison-based gang."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English savory English unsavory From un- + savory.

Usage

American usage

Inflected Forms

more unsavory (comparative) most unsavory (superlative) unsavoury (alternative, UK)

Derived Forms

unsavoriness

Synonyms

unsavoury offensive distasteful

Rhymes With

slavery avery bravery savory lavery savery

Questions

How do you pronounce unsavory?: The recorded pronunciation is /ʌnˈseɪv.əɹ.i/.
What does unsavory mean?: Not savory; without flavor.
Where does unsavory come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English savory English unsavory From un- + savory.

How to pronounce unsavory

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