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.
"We compared the findings with other techniques and confirmed an aromatic ring intermediate can coordinate with aluminum and cause a binding-energy change."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
“Without aromatic concentration, there’s much less of a flavor impact.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
You can even take it a step further and whip your goat cheese with cream cheese, salt and fresh herbs for a tangier and more aromatic filling.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
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 whole space was walled with dark aromatic bushes, and was a bowl of heat and light.
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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.
