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

E. coli is the field's main "workhorse" says Prof Wallace, who has also genetically engineered it in the lab to turn plastic waste into vanilla flavour and fatberg waste from sewers into perfume.

From BBC

It also offered warehouse-style display shelves packed with goods such as lip balm, perfume, false nails and foot cream.

From BBC

Great British Chefs specified that tonka’s “most distinctive feature” is their “enormous potency — heady vanilla flavours, with oily clove aromas, and perfumed magnolia, sandalwood notes.”

From Salon

It also offers warehouse-style display shelves packed with goods such as lip balm, perfume, false nails and foot cream.

From BBC

It also offers warehouse-style display shelves packed with goods like lip balm, perfume, false nails and foot cream.

From BBC

Related Words

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