The Spanish word 'sabor' (meaning 'taste' or 'flavor') comes from the Latin word 'sapor', which had the same meaning. The Latin 'sapor' was formed from two parts: the verb 'sapere' meaning 'to taste' or 'to be wise', and the suffix '-or' which indicated a result or effect. So 'sapor' literally meant 'the result of tasting' or 'that which can be tasted'. When this word evolved from Latin to Spanish, the 'p' changed to 'b', giving us the modern Spanish word 'sabor'.

Several common Spanish words are related to 'sabor'. The verb 'saber' (meaning 'to know') comes from the same Latin root 'sapere'. While this might seem like a strange connection, remember that 'sapere' meant both 'to taste' and 'to be wise' in Latin. This dual meaning reflects an ancient connection between having taste or discernment and having wisdom or knowledge. Another related word is 'sabroso' (meaning 'tasty' or 'delicious'), which is directly derived from 'sabor'.

The English words 'sapid' (having taste or flavor) and 'savor' are cousins of Spanish 'sabor', all coming from Latin 'sapor'. 'Savor' is particularly close in both meaning and form to 'sabor'. The English word 'sage' (meaning 'wise') also comes from Latin 'sapere', but it developed from the 'wisdom' meaning rather than the 'taste' meaning of the Latin word. The word 'savvy' (meaning practical knowledge or understanding) is also distantly related, reflecting the ancient connection between tasting and knowing.