I. Lit., a taste, relish, flavor, savor (objectively of the taste inherent in a thing; whereas gustatus is used subjectively, of the taste experienced by him who eats or drinks; “class.),” Lucr. 2, 679; cf.: si quem forte inveneritis, qui aspernetur oculis pulchritudinem rerum, non odore ullo, non tactu, non sapore capiatur, excludat auribus omnem suavitatem, Cic. Cael. 17, 42: “ut mel, suo proprio genere saporis, dulce esse sentitur,” id. Fin. 3, 10, 34: “in os salsi venit umor saepe saporis,” Lucr. 4, 222; 2, 401: “asper in ore sapor (amelli),” Verg. G. 4, 277: “tardus,” id. ib. 2, 126: “asper maris,” Plin. 2, 100, 104, § 222: “vini,” id. 24, 9, 38, § 60: “asperrimus,” id. 14, 2, 4, § 22: “dulcis,” Hor. C. 3, 1, 19: “odoratus et jucundus,” Plin. 26, 8, 50, § 83: “austerus,” id. 25, 5, 20, § 45: “tristi poma sapore,” Ov. Tr. 4, 6, 12.—In plur., Lucr. 2, 430; 2, 504; Hor. S. 2, 4, 36; Plin. 11, 37, 65, § 174; 8, 51, 77, § 209; 15, 27, 32, § 106 al.—
B. Transf. (poet. or in post-Aug. prose).
1. Subjectively for gustatus, a sense of taste, a taste which a person has of any thing: “an poterunt oculos aures reprehendere? an aures Tactus? an hunc porro tactum sapor arguet oris? ... Seorsus sapor oris habet vim,” Lucr. 4, 487 sq.: “aliis aliud taetrius esset orisque sapori,” id. 2, 511.—
2. Concr. (mostly in the plur.), that which tastes good, a dainty, delicacy, Tib. 1, 7, 35; Verg. G. 4, 62; Plin. 9, 17, 29, § 63; 12, 1, 2, § 4.—In sing.: “et tunsum gallae admiscere saporem,” i.e. juice, Verg. G. 4, 267.—
3. A smell, scent, odor, Plin. 32, 10, 39, § 117.—
II. Trop.
1. Of style: “vernaculus,” i.e. taste, elegance, Cic. Brut. 46, 172; Arn. 3, p. 108: “Atticus,” Quint. 12, 10, 75; cf. id. 6, 4, 107: “sermo non publici saporis,” of uncommon elegance, Petr. 3, 1.—
