odor

American  

[oh-der] / ˈoʊ dər /

especially British, odour

noun

1. the property of a substance that activates the sense of smell.

   to have an unpleasant odor.

2. a sensation perceived by the sense of smell; scent.

3. an agreeable scent; fragrance.

   Synonyms:

   perfume, redolence, aroma

4. a disagreeable smell.

5. a quality or property characteristic or suggestive of something.

   An odor of suspicion surrounded his testimony.

6. repute.

   in bad odor with the whole community.

7. Archaic. something that has a pleasant scent.

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odor British  

/ ˈəʊdə /

noun

1. the US spelling of odour

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Related Words

Odor, smell, scent, stench all refer to sensations perceived through the nose by the olfactory nerves. Odor and smell in literal contexts are often interchangeable. Figuratively, odor also usually occurs in positive contexts: the odor of sanctity. Smell is the most general and neutral of these two terms, deriving connotation generally from the context in which it is used: the tempting smell of fresh-baked bread; the rank smell of rotting vegetation. In figurative contexts smell may be either positive or negative: the sweet smell of success; a strong smell of duplicity pervading the affair. Scent refers either to delicate and pleasing aromas or to faint, barely perceptible smells: the scent of lilacs on the soft spring breeze; deer alarmed by the scent of man. Stench is strongly negative, referring both literally and figuratively to what is foul, sickening, or repulsive: the stench of rotting flesh; steeped in the stench of iniquity and treason.

Other Word Forms

• odorful adjective
• odorless adjective

Etymology

Origin of odor

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin

Example Sentences

I hoisted myself through it, then clapped my hand to my nose against the stinging odor.

From Literature

These systems detect and distinguish aromas, sometimes with about 1,000 times as much precision as humans can, and without the loss of sensitivity that comes when our noses get accustomed to an odor.

From The Wall Street Journal

I push the glass back toward him, turning my head away from the medicinal odor wafting out of the glass.

From Literature

This Florida timeshare sounds like out-of-date cheese with a bad odor.

From MarketWatch

BALTIMORE—A “strong odor” at an air-traffic control facility snarled travel in the Washington, D.C., area, according to federal aviation authorities.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aroma
• flavor
• perfume
• smell
• stench
• stink
• whiff