Unsavory
/ʌnˈseɪ.vər.i/noun
Unpleasant in taste or smell, or morally offensive and disagreeable.
Did you know?Its root traces to Latin sapere, which meant both “to taste” and “to be wise,” linking physical flavor with the ability to judge and discern.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sap-
“To taste, perceive, or discern; the reconstructed root behind later Latin words for flavor and wisdom.”
Classical Latin
Latin
sapere
“To taste, have flavor, and figuratively be wise or discerning.”
Classical Latin
Latin
sapor
“Taste, flavor, or an acquired sense of judgment.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
savoure
“Tasty, flavorful, or pleasing to the senses.”
13th Century
Middle English
savory
“Having a pleasant taste or smell; flavorful.”
16th Century
English
unsavoury
“Not pleasant to taste, later extended metaphorically to behavior considered objectionable.”
Modern English
English
unsavory
“Unpleasant, distasteful, or morally offensive; the American spelling of unsavoury.”