savory, n.
(ˈseɪvərɪ)
Forms: [1 sæþerie], 4–6 saverey, 5 savereye, saferay, savry, 5–6 saveray, 6–7 savery(e, saverie, savorie, 7 savourie, 7–9 savoury, 7– savory.
[Ultimately from L. saturēia; the form-history is uncertain.
On the one hand the ME. saverey might descend (with substitution of v for ð) from OE. sæðerie, a. early OF. *saðereie (later sarrie, whence the dim. sarriette surviving in mod.Fr.) = Pr. sadreia (whence 16th c. Fr. dial. sadriege, Sp. ajedrea, and perh. by metathesis the synon. sagerida):—L. saturēiam. On the other hand, Heresbach (De Re Rustica, 1570) cites an It. savoreggia and F. savoreie, and the latter appears in Cotgr. 1611 as savorée. The existence of these forms suggests that the ME. saverey may be an adoption of an unrecorded OF. form which had the v either as a phonetic development in hiatus (cf. F. pouvoir for early OF. pooir) or through the influence of saveur savour.
Independent adoption of the Latin word appears in OE. satureᵹe, ME. satureie, MHG. saterje (G. saturei), It. satureja, corruptly santoreggia, Pg. saturagem.]
1. Any plant of the genus Satureia (N.O. Labiatæ), esp. the annual herb Satureia hortensis (garden, summer savory), or the perennial S. montana (mountain or winter savory), natives of the south of Europe, cultivated for use as flavouring ingredients in cooking.
| [c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 314 Feldmoran sæd, sæþerian sæd, petorsilian sæd.] a 1387 Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.) 37 Satureia, tymbra idem, saverey. c 1420 Liber Cocorum (1862) 32 Take sawge, persoly, ysope, saveray, Onyons gode. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 18 Take a Capoun..& sethe hym in Water, percely, Sauereye & Salt. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. Tabula 374 Coriaundir, popy, saury, senuy, oynet. 1483 Cath. Angl. 319/1 Saferay, s[a]tureia, herba est. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 171 And ete alle maner fishe w{supt}..vergews made with good erbis sawge & sauery. 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 94 Summer sauerie. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. clxv. 460 Winter Sauorie is a plant resembling Hyssope. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 43 Wild Thyme and Sav'ry set around their Cell. 1786 Abercrombie Gard. Assist. 79 Savory—sow of the summer and winter kind. 1849 Balfour Man. Bot. §967 Many Labiates, such as Thyme..Savoury,..&c., are used..to flavour sauces and dishes. 1881 Encycl. Brit. XII. 289 The Winter Savory, Satureja montana, a hardy evergreen undershrub. |
2. dyer's savory, the Saw-wort,
Serratula tinctoria.
3. attrib. and
Comb.:
savory-seed;
savory-leaved adj.;
savory oil (see
quot.);
savory thyme,
Thymus virginicus, an American herb.
| 1822 Hortus Anglicus II. 394 Aster Linariifolius. *Savory-leaved Star Wort. |
| 1896 Brannt Anim. & Veg. Fats II. 577 *Savory oil... Both the summer savory, Satureja hortensis, L., and the winter savory, S. montana, yield by distillation..a volatile oil. |
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. iii. 580 Now *saury seed in faat vndunged londe Doth wel. |
| 1822 Hortus Anglicus II. 105 Virginian or *Savory Thyme. |