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olfaction

American  
[ol-fak-shuhn, ohl-] / ɒlˈfæk ʃən, oʊl- /

noun

  1. the act of smelling.

  2. the sense of smell.


olfaction British  
/ ɒlˈfækʃən /

noun

  1. the sense of smell

  2. the act or function of smelling

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of olfaction

1840–50; < Latin olfact ( us ) past participle of olfacere to smell ( see olfactory) + -ion

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.

The physical co-location found between olfaction and sight that Mormann’s team found in the olfactory cortex may be part of the physical apparatus behind such crossmodality.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2025

They found that through olfactory training, people with smell loss and people with normal olfaction alike can achieve increases in the size or volume of the olfactory bulb and hippocampus.

From Salon • Jan. 5, 2025

The interdisciplinary group of experts in olfaction, psychology, ecology, public health, atmospheric science and other fields are based at institutions in the U.S., the U.K.,

From Science Daily • May 15, 2024

"Understanding how olfaction mediates our relationships with the natural world and the benefits we receive from it are multi-disciplinary undertakings," said Bratman.

From Science Daily • May 15, 2024

The theories to explain olfaction are as numerous and complex as those for immunologic sensing.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas