odour

American  

[oh-der] / ˈoʊ dər /

noun

Chiefly British.

1. a variant of odor.

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odour British  

/ ˈəʊdə /

noun

1. the property of a substance that gives it a characteristic scent or smell

2. a pervasive quality about something

   an odour of dishonesty

3. repute or regard (in the phrases in good odour, in bad odour )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• odourless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of odour

C13: from Old French odur, from Latin odor; related to Latin olēre to smell, Greek ōzein

Example Sentences

Police made the discovery after receiving a report of a foul odour emanating from the vehicle, which had been towed to a Hollywood tow yard.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

The truck had been called minutes earlier to a separate incident on board another plane which had "reported an issue with odour", according to Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

As Nolso opens the door, a rancid odour escaped.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

"Increased odour is an ongoing concern," it said.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Here was good news wearing a foul dress: the odour was com­ing exclusively from below the tarpaulin.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel