Easily Confused Words: Sower vs. Sour

Sower and sour are easily confused words.



Sower (pronounced “soh-wherr”) is a noun. It means a person who plants seeds in the ground, or a device used to plant seeds in the ground.

Sour (pronounced “sohw-err”), is an adjective. It describes a flavor that is tart or acidic, the opposite of sweet. Sour is used to describe the flavor of lemons, limes, and fermented foods.

The candy, Sour Patch Kids, imitates sour citrus flavors in its gummy form; the sugar that the candies are rolled in counteracts the sourness.

Sour cream is a thick dairy condiment used on baked potatoes and used as flavor counterpoint to hot, stinging peppers. (Other cultures use yogurt to counter hot, spicy foods.)

The following story uses both words correctly:

Solaina was offered a deal by her parents. If she took the lead as a head sower of the crops they needed to plant at dawn, she could eat all the sour apple turnovers she wanted later that day. She eagerly accepted.


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