Sour
/ˈsaʊər/
adjectiveverbnounA2
Definition
Sour means having a sharp, acidic taste that is often a little bitter or unpleasant, like lemons or vinegar. It can also describe when food or drink has gone bad and tastes unpleasant. Additionally, sour can describe feelings or situations that are unhappy or unpleasant.
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See It in Action
Having a sharp, acidic taste
- •The lemon juice tastes sour.
- •I don't like sour candy because it makes my mouth pucker.
- •Vinegar has a very sour flavor.
Becoming unpleasant or bad (food or feelings)
- •The milk has gone sour and smells bad.
- •Their friendship soured after the argument.
- •The deal between the companies soured quickly.
The taste or flavor that is sour
- •The sour of the fruit made me pucker.
- •She could not forget the sour taste in her mouth.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "sour" like "bad taste," but specifically the sharp, tangy kind you feel on your tongue when eating lemons.
- ✓Picture biting into a lemon slice and your mouth puckering because of the strong taste.
- ✓It's the feeling when something you expected to be nice becomes unpleasant, like a friendship turning cold.
- ✓Sounds like "sour" → imagine a flower turning sour (bad) in smell, or your face twisting when tasting something sharp.
- ✓Remember the phrase "sour mood" — when someone is unhappy or grumpy, like the taste of sour food.
- ✓NOT like "sweet" (pleasant, sugary taste), sour is sharp and can be uncomfortable.
- ✓NOT like "bitter" (sharp but more harsh and dry), sour is more tangy and wet feeling.
- ✓As a verb, "to sour" means to become bad or unpleasant, often used for food or feelings.
- ✓As a noun, "sour" is the taste or flavor itself.
Try Other Words
- •Acidic: having a sharp taste like lemon (Use when describing the chemical taste in food or drink)
- •Bitter: sharp and unpleasant taste but more dry (Use when taste is harsh but not wet or tangy)
- •Spoiled: gone bad, no longer good to eat (Use when food or drink is no longer fresh or safe)
- •Unpleasant: not nice or enjoyable (Use when talking about feelings or situations)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix; root word "sour")
- •Etymology: From Old English "sūr," meaning sharp or acidic in taste
- •Historical development: Used since early English to describe acidic taste; later extended to describe bad feelings or situations
- •Modern usage: Commonly used for taste, food spoilage, and describing moods or relationships that have become bad
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be sour but still enjoyable? When do you like sour tastes?
•How do you think the word "sour" helps describe feelings or situations beyond taste?
Fill in the blanks
1.The milk turned sour because it was left ___ for too long.
2.When I tasted the lemon, my mouth ___ and I felt the sour flavor.
3.Their friendship ___ after they had a big argument and stopped talking.
4.Sour candy usually has a ___ taste that makes people pucker.
5.The sauce was too sour ___ it needed more sugar to balance the flavor.
6.After the bad news, he was in a sour ___ and did not want to talk.
7.You can tell food is sour if it smells ___ or strange.