aroma
Americannoun
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aromas
plural
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an odor arising from spices, plants, cooking, etc., especially an agreeable odor; fragrance.
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(of wines and spirits) the odor or bouquet.
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a pervasive characteristic or quality.
noun
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a distinctive usually pleasant smell, esp of spices, wines, and plants
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a subtle pervasive quality or atmosphere
Synonym Usage
See perfume.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of aroma
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin, from Greek: “spice”; replacing Middle English aromat, from Old French, from Latin arōmat- (stem of arōma )
Explanation
Aroma is the word for a fragrant scent, one that pleases the nose in a way that makes you lick your lips. Unlike its foul-smelling cousin the odor, an aroma smells but never stinks. Want to know what aromas smell like? Brew a fresh pot of coffee, grill some onions, and fry up a few strips of bacon. Aromas make you drool. You can also use the word to describe things that don't literally smell, yet somehow seem to linger smell-like in the air, like the oppressive aroma of a brutal dictatorship.
Vocabulary lists containing aroma
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)
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Smell Words
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Words for Cheese Writers
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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.
See Examples For:
Even if insurance did not cover business losses linked to a change in taste, he would not sell his wine if its aroma was burnt.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
“Like a sour milk base or something, mixed with porta potty with a little chemical on top of it,” she said, describing the aroma.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
Your kitchen should fill with a buttery, nutty, garlicky aroma, which means you’re on the right track.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
Coffee is made up of hundreds of phytochemicals, compounds that influence flavor, aroma, and potentially health.
From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026
The space had that deliciously ripe aroma of the earth right after a summer thunderstorm.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
Sodha says that limiting each plant to 750ml of water a day produces "rich, highly concentrated sugars and aromas instead of water-logged, bland fruits".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The team found higher levels of compounds associated with floral and fruity aromas, including linalool and 2-phenylethanol.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
Bottle bio: Produced in Galicia, Spain, this is a classic Rías Baixas Albariño with aromas of lemon zest, green apple, white flowers and oyster shell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026
Researchers are developing e-noses, electronic systems that use AI to scrutinize aromas with high precision for diverse applications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
There were always aromas of tasty dishes, flowers cut from our backyard in vases, doilies that Grandma India crocheted on tables, and squares of tapestry she had made on the walls.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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.
