scent

American  

[sent] / sɛnt /

noun

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

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has scented
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have scented
  perfect
• is scenting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are scenting
  progressive
• scents
  singular 3rd person
• has been scenting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am scenting
  progressive 1st person singular
• scenting
  participle
• have been scenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• had scented
  perfect
• had been scenting
  perfect progressive
• scented
  participle
• were scenting
  progressive plural
• was scenting
  progressive singular
• scented
  simple

Future

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

People used to walk into our mall stores because of the scent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

They have a scent wardrobe of 10 or 12 fragrances that they rotate, matching seasons, moods and occasions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

People drifted in and out, collecting bags of food or hot plates, as the air filled with the scent of cooking.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

One attendee, Jess Blaise, the co-founder of Haitian Spotlight LA, credits her Haitian heritage and the fragrance rituals modeled by her mother for her connection to scent.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

More than once, I’d opened the storm cellar to the beckon of neon and the scent of buffalo stew.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

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