hyperosmia

[hahy-per-oz-mee-uh]

noun

Pathology.

1. an abnormally acute sense of smell.

hyperosmia

/ ˌhaɪpəˈɒzmɪə /

noun

1. an abnormally acute sense of smell

Other Word Forms

• hyperosmic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hyperosmia¹

1830–35; hyper- + Greek osm(ḗ) “smell” + -ia -ia ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of hyperosmia¹

C20: from _hyper- + Greek osmē odour

Example Sentences

Milne, a 72-year-old retired nurse from Perth, Scotland, has hereditary hyperosmia, a condition that endows people with a hypersensitivity to smell.

Read more on Scientific American

Hyperosmia is an increase in the perception of smell, which rarely occurs in persons other than the hysteric and insane.

Read more on Project Gutenberg