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.
They contain nitrates, high levels of sodium and saturated fats, and aromatic hydrocarbons that increase the risk of cancer, hypertension, and heart disease.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 21, 2026
The use of aromatic resins, gums and woods like frankincense and myrrh dates back to ancient Egypt.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Salvia clevelandii ‘Winifred Gilman’ didn’t do as well as the other sages and was too aromatic for his taste.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Plant resins released aromatic compounds and sesquiterpenoids, while bitumen produced naphthenic compounds.
From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026
But the thing that I note most is the aromatic scent of Cajun spices that fills my nostrils and makes my mouth water.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
