perfume

[pur-fyoom, per-fyoom, per-fyoom, pur-fyoom]

noun

1. a substance, extract, or preparation for diffusing or imparting an agreeable or attractive smell, especially a fluid containing fragrant natural oils extracted from flowers, woods, etc., or similar synthetic oils.

   Synonyms: incense, scent, attar, essence

2. the scent, odor, or volatile particles emitted by substances that smell agreeable.

   Antonyms: stench

verb (used with object)

perfumed, perfuming 

1. (of substances, flowers, etc.) to impart a pleasant fragrance to.

2. to impregnate with a sweet odor; scent.

perfume

noun

1. a mixture of alcohol and fragrant essential oils extracted from flowers, spices, etc, or made synthetically, used esp to impart a pleasant long-lasting scent to the body, stationery, etc See also cologne toilet water

2. a scent or odour, esp a fragrant one

verb

1. (tr) to impart a perfume to

Other Word Forms

• perfumeless adjective
• perfumy adjective
• unperfumed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of perfume¹

First recorded in 1525–35; earlier parfume (noun), from Middle French parfum, noun derivative of parfumer (verb), from obsolete Italian parfumare (modern profumare ). See per-, fume

Word History and Origins

Origin of perfume¹

C16: from French parfum, probably from Old Provençal perfum, from perfumar to make scented, from per through (from Latin) + fumar to smoke, from Latin fumāre to smoke

Synonym Study

Perfume, aroma, fragrance all refer to agreeable odors. Perfume often indicates a strong, rich smell, natural or manufactured: the perfume of flowers. Fragrance is usually applied to fresh, delicate, and delicious odors, especially from growing things: fragrance of new-mown hay. Aroma is restricted to a somewhat spicy smell: the aroma of coffee.

Example Sentences

The second focuses on Dior’s perfumes and the third on the floral presence in his fashions.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The 20-year-old, from Tottenham, London, was part of a shoplifting gang and would clear shelves of cosmetics and perfumes while another member of her team acted as look-out, according to police.

Read more on BBC

Her nose filled with the aroma of good tea and excellent cake and her mother’s lavender-scented perfume, mixed with the pleasant burning-wood smell from the fire that her father was tending even now.

Read more on Literature

Lady Constance batted at her face with the puff until she all but disappeared in a perfumed fog.

Read more on Literature

Featuring thousands of miniature bags, dresses, perfume bottles and more, the Colorama installation reminded me of being on Avenue Montaigne during fashion week.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aroma 
• bouquet 
• incense 
• odor 
• oil 
• smell 
• spice