petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr, pe-trahy-kawr]

noun

1. a distinctive scent, usually described as earthy, pleasant, or sweet, produced by rainfall on very dry ground.

Word History and Origins

Origin of petrichor¹

First recorded in 1960–65; petro- ¹ ( def. ) + ichor ( def. ) (in the classical mythology sense “ethereal fluid”)

Example Sentences

Like geosmin, the substance that gives earth its characteristic “earthy” odor, petrichor remains close to the ground.

From Salon

Like geosmin, the substance that gives earth its characteristic "earthy" odor, petrichor remains close to the ground.

From Salon

The earthy scent is called petrichor, from the Greek words petra, meaning "stone", and ichor, meaning "the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods".

From BBC

“Why is Black discourse always about precipitation,” they intone, “While ignoring the sweet scent of petrichor after rain.”

From Los Angeles Times

Just two more days of heat are expected before residents of the Puget Sound region may get a chance to experience petrichor, one of our favorite olfactory treats.

From Seattle Times

When To Use

What does petrichor mean?

Petrichor is the smell caused by rainfall on very dry soil, as in I hate rain but I love the petrichor that results from it.Petrichor is often described as a pleasant or earthy scent. Because petrichor has a very specific meaning, you are only likely to see it used by people talking about the smells following a rainstorm. Similar to words like saudade and pulchritudinous, petrichor is often a favorite word of people with large vocabularies. When you use petrichor, be aware that not everyone will know what it means.Example: Every time it rains I get to enjoy the smell of petrichor.