aromatic
Americanadjective
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having an aroma; fragrant or sweet-scented; odoriferous.
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Chemistry. of or relating to an aromatic compound or compounds.
noun
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a plant, drug, or medicine yielding a fragrant aroma, as sage or certain spices and oils.
adjective
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having a distinctive, usually fragrant smell
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(of an organic compound) having an unsaturated ring containing alternating double and single bonds, esp containing a benzene ring; exhibiting aromaticity Compare aliphatic
noun
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Relating to an organic compound containing at least one benzene ring or similar ring-shaped component. Naphthalene and TNT are aromatic compounds.
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Compare aliphatic
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aromatic
1325–75; Middle English aromatyk (< Middle French ) < Late Latin arōmaticus < Greek arōmatikós. See aroma, -ic
Explanation
If something is aromatic, it smells good. Think fragrant roses, savory spices, freshly cut grass, or spring rain. Aromatic derives from the Greek aromatikos, meaning “sweet spice.” It is related to aroma, but there is one key difference between the meanings of the two words. While aromatic means "having a pleasant smell," aroma means just "smell" — that smell could be pleasant, or it could be the nastiest, mustiest, old-cheesiest smell on the planet. Say either "What is that pleasant aroma wafting from your kitchen?" or "What is that aromatic smell?" and you'll be saying essentially the same thing.
Vocabulary lists containing aromatic
A Recipe for Success: Thanksgiving Cooking Words
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The Nose Knows: Olfactory Vocabulary
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Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fajar Budiyono, secretary-general of the Association of Olefin, Aromatic, Plastic and Chemical Industries in Indonesia, said a shift to suppliers in places like China and Africa has helped keep prices at bay.
From Barron's • Jun. 28, 2026
Aromatic molecules are essential in modern industry, particularly in plastics manufacturing.
From Science Daily • Feb. 24, 2026
Fu Ging Aromatic Noodles once counted nearby residents in the middle-class neighborhood of Chai Wan as its main source of income.
From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2024
Aromatic plumes billow out from aluminum-covered vent hoods as chefs with decades of experience produce steaming plates of crackled shrimp, juicy mussels, and crisped-up rice by tossing the ingredients in a giant, flame-cradled wok.
From Salon • May 15, 2024
Perry's Royal Aromatic Bands are now an indispensable article, and may be procured in every city of the world.
From The Story of the Invention of Steel Pens With a Description of the Manufacturing Process by Which They Are Produced by Bore, Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
