First recorded in 1960–65.
Comes from petro-, a combining form meaning \"rock,\" and ichor, which in classical mythology means “ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods.”
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF PETRICHOR\r\n

The desert landscape was quickly transformed as petrichor filled the air after a long-awaited rainstorm.
As the storm passed, leaving behind puddles and damp earth, the sweet petrichor lingered like a fond memory.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/NEW2016/petrichor_000.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"noun","data":"a distinctive scent, usually described as earthy, pleasant, or sweet, produced by rainfall on very dry ground."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/petrichor_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"rvrVFiGo7zQZ2Nn0To_aL","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"south-frigid-zone","entry":"South Frigid Zone"},{"slug":"south-gate","entry":"South Gate"},{"slug":"south-georgia","entry":"South Georgia"},{"slug":"south--georgian","entry":"South Georgian"},{"slug":"south-glamorgan","entry":"South Glamorgan"}],"after":[{"slug":"south-hadley","entry":"South Hadley"},{"slug":"south-holland","entry":"South Holland"},{"slug":"south-houston","entry":"South Houston"},{"slug":"south-huntington","entry":"South Huntington"},{"slug":"southing","entry":"southing"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"south-gloucestershire"},"requestId":"zmBTEPC0Sy_2i77XDeT2q","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"south-gloucestershire"},"requestId":"JQ0LGvXgY0B2PEPSJ4Iyw","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"South Gloucestershire","slug":"south-gloucestershire"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a unitary authority of SW England, in Gloucestershire: formerly (1975\\u201396) part of the county of Avon. Pop: 246\\u00a0800 (2003 est). Area: 510 sq km (197 sq miles)\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"south-gloucestershire"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"south-gloucestershire"},"requestId":"ULiyWKm5UAEBKgmr8HTEH","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"south-gloucestershire","displayForm":"South Gloucestershire","canonicalSlug":"south-gloucestershire","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"ade2b5d3e.6bfb.1014.b87b.c2803370a23a.1","type":"normal","entry":"South Gloucestershire","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":""},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","definition":"a unitary authority of SW England, in Gloucestershire: formerly (1975–96) part of the county of Avon. Pop: 246 800 (2003 est). Area: 510 sq km (197 sq miles)","postdefinitionContent":""}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":145023,"index-rank-01":["south gloucestershire"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"south-gloucestershire"},"requestId":"v964GFHN59V1hnmEF68XJ","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Gloucestershire","Leicestershire","Worcestershire"],"tuna":["cast ashore","closest","cold store","police station","closed shop","closed session","close study"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Gloucestershire","slug":"gloucestershire"},{"displayForm":"Leicestershire","slug":"leicestershire"},{"displayForm":"Worcestershire","slug":"worcestershire"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"cast ashore","slug":"cast%20ashore"},{"displayForm":"closest","slug":"closest"},{"displayForm":"cold store","slug":"cold%20store"},{"displayForm":"police station","slug":"police%20station"},{"displayForm":"closed shop","slug":"closed%20shop"},{"displayForm":"closed session","slug":"closed%20session"},{"displayForm":"close study","slug":"close%20study"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"south-gloucestershire"},"requestId":"94HONcpaaK9986IHvTGXs","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

South Gloucestershire

noun

Word of the Day