Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Unrecognized actuarial losses and unrecognized prior service credit, before tax	$ 479.0
Unrecognized actuarial losses and unrecognized prior service credit, net of tax	320.5	236.0
Expected actuarial losses, net of prior service credit, before tax	36.0
Expected actuarial losses, net of prior service credit, net of tax	23.8
Dividends paid	164.7	148.5	138.2
Assumed annual increase in cost of health care benefits	7.60%	8.40%
Ultimate health care cost trend rate	5.00%	5.00%
Ultimate health care cost trend rate, year	2021	2019
United States Pension Plans [Member]
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Unrecognized actuarial losses and unrecognized prior service credit, net of tax	212.5	161.2
Benefit obligation	735.2	588.5	515.6
Accrued liability related to the plan	215.4	187.6
Accumulated benefit obligation	660.2	530.4
Percentage of pension plan assets in equity securities	100.00%	100.00%
International Pension Plans [Member]
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Unrecognized actuarial losses and unrecognized prior service credit, net of tax	95.3	71.6
Benefit obligation	300.8	251.1	223.7
Accrued liability related to the plan	53.2	39.2
Assets related to the plan	0	3.0
Accumulated benefit obligation	270.5	225.3
Percentage of pension plan assets in equity securities	100.00%	100.00%
Nonqualified Defined Benefit Plan [Member]
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Benefit obligation	87.8	72.4
Accrued liability related to the plan	82.2	67.7
Assets related to the plan	63.3	52.1
401 (k) Retirement Plan [Member]
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Fair value of McCormick stock held in plan assets	170.4
Number of shares of McCormick stock held in plan assets	2.6
Percentage of participant contribution considered for first condition of plan	100.00%
Percentage of participant salary under first condition of plan	3.00%
Percentage of participant contribution considered for second condition of plan	50.00%
Percentage of participant salary under second condition of plan	2.00%
401(k) plan expense	7.4	7.0	6.8
Dividends paid	3.4
Other Postretirement Benefits [Member]
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Benefit obligation	112.8	99.3	101.8
Age after which employees retire	55 years
Minimum number of years in service	5 years
Assumed discount rate	3.80%	5.20%
U.S. Equity Securities [Member]
Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans [Line Items]
Fair value of McCormick stock held in plan assets	29.4	22.2
Number of shares of McCormick stock held in plan assets	0.5	0.5
Percentage of pension plan assets in equity securities	5.70%	5.60%
Dividends paid	$ 0.6	$ 0.5