Business Segments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 1,329.2	$ 1,318.2	$ 3,862.6	$ 3,834.9
Operating income	253.5	229.9	658.5	599.6
Less: Special charges	7.7	3.3	16.9	13.9
Less: Transaction and integration expenses	0.0	5.6	0.0	22.1
Operating income excluding special charges	261.2	238.8	675.4	635.6
Income from unconsolidated operations	9.6	8.4	29.2	23.9
Consumer
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	794.2	772.4	2,303.2	2,285.8
Operating income	171.9	146.0	438.6	388.2
Less: Special charges	4.6	2.2	11.0	8.6
Less: Transaction and integration expenses		3.8		14.8
Operating income excluding special charges	176.5	152.0	449.6	411.6
Income from unconsolidated operations	7.3	7.7	22.7	20.8
Flavor Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	535.0	545.8	1,559.4	1,549.1
Operating income	81.6	83.9	219.9	211.4
Less: Special charges	3.1	1.1	5.9	5.3
Less: Transaction and integration expenses		1.8		7.3
Operating income excluding special charges	84.7	86.8	225.8	224.0
Income from unconsolidated operations	2.3	0.7	6.5	3.1
Americas [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	931.3	918.5	2,634.4	2,573.4
Europe Middle East And Africa [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	234.5	244.2	726.7	755.8
Asia Pacific [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 163.4	$ 155.5	$ 501.5	505.7
Less: Special charges				$ 0.7

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Special Charges

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This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

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This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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