perfume

American  

[pur-fyoom, per-fyoom, per-fyoom, pur-fyoom] / ˈpɜr fyum, pərˈfyum, pərˈfyum, ˈpɜr fyum /

noun

1. a substance, extract, or preparation for diffusing or imparting an agreeable or attractive smell, especially a fluid containing fragrant natural oils extracted from flowers, woods, etc., or similar synthetic oils.

   Synonyms:

   incense, scent, attar, essence

2. the scent, odor, or volatile particles emitted by substances that smell agreeable.

   Antonyms:

   stench

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verb (used with object)

perfumed, perfuming

1. (of substances, flowers, etc.) to impart a pleasant fragrance to.

2. to impregnate with a sweet odor; scent.

perfume British  

noun

1. a mixture of alcohol and fragrant essential oils extracted from flowers, spices, etc, or made synthetically, used esp to impart a pleasant long-lasting scent to the body, stationery, etc See also cologne toilet water

2. a scent or odour, esp a fragrant one

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verb

1. (tr) to impart a perfume to

Related Words

Perfume, aroma, fragrance all refer to agreeable odors. Perfume often indicates a strong, rich smell, natural or manufactured: the perfume of flowers. Fragrance is usually applied to fresh, delicate, and delicious odors, especially from growing things: fragrance of new-mown hay. Aroma is restricted to a somewhat spicy smell: the aroma of coffee.

Other Word Forms

• perfumeless adjective
• perfumy adjective
• unperfumed adjective

Etymology

Origin of perfume

First recorded in 1525–35; earlier parfume (noun), from Middle French parfum, noun derivative of parfumer (verb), from obsolete Italian parfumare (modern profumare ). See per-, fume

Explanation

That delicious mid-summer smell in the middle of a rose garden? You can call that its perfume. If you apply scented oil to your neck and wrists before leaving your house every the morning, you know what perfume is. Another kind of perfume is one that doesn't come in a bottle, like the smell of your mom's cinnamon rolls or the salty fragrance of the ocean after a storm. The earliest use of perfume in English specifically meant "the smell of something burning," and the Latin root is smoky as well: fumare means "to smoke" and per means "through."

Example Sentences

Monique felt a mist fall over her and realized the passenger was spraying her down with perfume.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Estée Lauder bought Malone's eponymous perfume brand, Jo Malone London, including the rights to her name, in 1999.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Don eventually remarried and had three more kids, but he held on to a big box of Cynthia’s clothes and other keepsakes, including a lock of hair and bottle of her perfume.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

A member of the public was killed after handling the delivery device, a discarded perfume bottle, triggering the largest Western expulsion in decades of Russian diplomats alleged to be spies.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

But this was one memory she wanted to hold on to: no pain, just her mother holding her close, rocking her back and forth, and the smell of her perfume in her hair.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

Related Words

• aroma
• bouquet
• incense
• odor
• oil
• smell
• spice