scent

American  

[sent] / sɛnt /

noun

• scents
  plural

1. a distinctive odor, especially when agreeable.

   the scent of roses.

2. an odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced.

3. a track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor.

   The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped.

4. perfume.

5. the sense of smell.

   a remarkably keen scent.

6. small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds.

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verb (used with object)

• scents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• scented,
  past participle,  past
• scenting
  present participle

1. to perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell.

   to scent trouble.

   Synonyms:

   sniff, smell

2. to fill with an odor; perfume.

verb (used without object)

• scents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• scented,
  past participle,  past
• scenting
  present participle

1. to hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound.

scent British  

/ sɛnt /

noun

1. a distinctive smell, esp a pleasant one

2. a smell left in passing, by which a person or animal may be traced

3. a trail, clue, or guide

4. an instinctive ability for finding out or detecting

5. another word (esp Brit) for perfume

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verb

1. (tr) to recognize or be aware of by or as if by the smell

2. (tr) to have a suspicion of; detect

   I scent foul play

3. (tr) to fill with odour or fragrance

4. (intr) (of hounds, etc) to hunt by the sense of smell

5. to smell (at)

   the dog scented the air

scent Idioms  

1. see throw off, def. 3.

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Synonym Usage

See odor.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• scentlessness
  noun
• outscent
  verb (used with object)
• nonscented
  adjective
• overscented
  adjective
• scented
  adjective
• scentless
  adjective
• unscented
  adjective
• well-scented
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scents
  plural

Participles

• scenting
  present
• scented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• scent
  simple
• scents
  simple
• have scented
  perfect
• has scented
  perfect
• am scenting
  progressive
• are scenting
  progressive
• is scenting
  progressive
• have been scenting
  perfect progressive
• has been scenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• scented
  simple
• had scented
  perfect
• was scenting
  progressive
• were scenting
  progressive
• had been scenting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will scent
  simple
• will have scented
  perfect
• will be scenting
  progressive
• will have been scenting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of scent

First recorded in 1325–75; (verb) earlier sent, Middle English senten, from Middle French sentir “to smell,” from Latin sentīre, “to feel”; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb Cf. sense

Explanation

A scent is a smell. Every house has a particular scent that is recognizable to people as belonging to that house. Scent comes from the Latin sentire meaning "to feel, perceive, sense." The word was originally used in reference to hunting dogs, who track down animals by their scent. If you "pick up a scent," then you have a clue about something. If you wear a perfume, then you leave your scent in the air as you pass. Use scent instead of smell if you want to talk about a distinctively nice odor, like the scent of fresh-cut grass.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scent scents scented scenting

Candidatus Velamenicoccus archaeovorus feeds on microorganisms that convert limonene, the compound responsible for the scent of oranges, into methane and carbon dioxide.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

I wanted to resemble the relaxed browsers who paused over a melon because its scent had summoned them.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

For many, the smell of charcoal and sizzling meat is the scent of summer.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

You need a hotel scent and to provide laundry supplies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

But aerial predators—large birds, like owls—don’t care so much about the scent.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

Septimus Piesse, a 19th-century chemist, translated sounds into smells, proclaiming an “octave of odors,” the authors explain, “with correspondences between notes and scents providing the basis for harmonious olfactory combinations.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Nadira Goffe argues that watching the film in 4DX—which features, among other things, scents, moving chairs, and sprays of water—is the superior way to experience the epic adventure.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Bananas also are trending on TikTok, and so we just introduced two more banana-based scents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Despite being marketed as an eau de parfum for men, the fragrance’s notes leaned more toward typically unisex scents.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

When I passed through the divider, I felt a tingling sensation from head to toe, and the scents of lemon, ginger, and fresh air washed over me.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

The beds are dotted with scented flowers such as honeysuckle, jasmine and lavender, and textured foliage and grasses that patients can touch and smell from their beds.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

The walled enclosure, full of scented walks, evoked the feeling of a spiritual sanctuary—a quality it shared with the Iranian gardens she visited and wrote about in 2003’s “Gardens of Persia.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026

Mascarpone frosting, lightly scented with cardamom and lemon, crowns the whole, airy yet substantial, a gentle counterpoint to the cake’s density.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025

Even more giggle-inducing, I was pelted with scented foam apples and dive-bombed by half a dozen drone-piloted flying monkeys.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025

He scented a new story in the offing.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

The Japanese accomplish subtle scenting with nioi-bukuro, breathable sachets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

Her recent Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which featured her upcycling supermarket bouquets and scenting flannels with lavender water, wasn't received entirely warmly either.

From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2025

Offshore investors sold record amounts of JGBs in the week the BOJ widened the band, scenting that its six-year old YCC policy was on the way out.

From Reuters ● Jan. 13, 2023

Signs that your feline friend is bonded to you include scenting by rubbing their head on you, showing their belly, blinking and letting you get close.

From Scientific American ● Dec. 21, 2022

He tried for them in all directions, but his nose was useless, the fine scenting nerves numbed by ash and soot.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

Related Words

• aura
• bouquet
• essence
• odor
• perfume
• spice
• whiff