scent

American  

[sent] / sɛnt /

noun

• scents
  plural

1. 

   a distinctive odor, especially when agreeable.

   the scent of roses.

2. an odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced.

3. a track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor.

   The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped.

4. perfume.

5. the sense of smell.

   a remarkably keen scent.

6. small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds.

---

verb (used with object)

• scents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• scented,
  past participle,  past
• scenting
  present participle

1. to perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell.

   to scent trouble.

   Synonyms:

   sniff, smell

2. to fill with an odor; perfume.

verb (used without object)

• scents,
  present (3rd person singular)
• scented,
  past participle,  past
• scenting
  present participle

1. to hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound.

scent British  

/ sɛnt /

noun

1. a distinctive smell, esp a pleasant one

2. a smell left in passing, by which a person or animal may be traced

3. a trail, clue, or guide

4. an instinctive ability for finding out or detecting

5. another word (esp Brit) for perfume

---

verb

1. (tr) to recognize or be aware of by or as if by the smell

2. (tr) to have a suspicion of; detect

   I scent foul play

3. (tr) to fill with odour or fragrance

4. (intr) (of hounds, etc) to hunt by the sense of smell

5. to smell (at)

   the dog scented the air

scent Idioms  

1. see throw off, def. 3.

---

Synonym Usage

See odor.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• scentlessness
  noun
• outscent
  verb (used with object)
• nonscented
  adjective
• overscented
  adjective
• scented
  adjective
• scentless
  adjective
• unscented
  adjective
• well-scented
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scents
  plural

Participles

• scenting
  present
• scented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• scent
  simple
• scents
  simple
• have scented
  perfect
• has scented
  perfect
• am scenting
  progressive
• are scenting
  progressive
• is scenting
  progressive
• have been scenting
  perfect progressive
• has been scenting
  perfect progressive

Past

• scented
  simple
• had scented
  perfect
• was scenting
  progressive
• were scenting
  progressive
• had been scenting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will scent
  simple
• will have scented
  perfect
• will be scenting
  progressive
• will have been scenting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of scent

First recorded in 1325–75; (verb) earlier sent, Middle English senten, from Middle French sentir “to smell,” from Latin sentīre, “to feel”; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb Cf. sense

Explanation

A scent is a smell. Every house has a particular scent that is recognizable to people as belonging to that house. Scent comes from the Latin sentire meaning "to feel, perceive, sense." The word was originally used in reference to hunting dogs, who track down animals by their scent. If you "pick up a scent," then you have a clue about something. If you wear a perfume, then you leave your scent in the air as you pass. Use scent instead of smell if you want to talk about a distinctively nice odor, like the scent of fresh-cut grass.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scent scents scented scenting

The Marriott chain sells candles and diffusers with “the signature scent of your favorite hotels,” including subsidiary brands Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton and Courtyard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Bear surrendered his collar in March after a decade of being a very good boy as one of the first dogs in the country to be trained to detect the scent of koala fur.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

On better days, she strolled up to it, even hugging its jagged trunk and inhaling the earthy scent to lift her spirits.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

While completing their sets, researchers measured hunger and desire to eat after each 30-second exposure to one of the scent samples.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

By now, the demon had fallen too far behind to be able to sense the ravenskin, but it was still tracking him by scent, and it would go on tracking him.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

“It’s honestly time all these scents are banned the same way smoking has been banned pretty much everywhere,” one traveler complained on Reddit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Scentair, a scent-marketing company based in North Carolina, claims customers in 119 countries, including many hotels, and says its creation was “inspired by a Disney Imagineer’s Idea in 1994 to add scents to attractions.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

That pattern suggests that cats may retain long-term memories of particular urine scents.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

“It scents closets and laundry rooms,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

All these food scents fill the house, and my stomach growls.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Routine tasks such as mopping floors, spraying countertops, and wiping surfaces with scented products generate billions or trillions of particles, with the total depending on the product.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

However, listing images of the property show that it is now completely empty—with not a single Juicy Couture sweatsuit or scented candle in sight, suggesting that Madison has vacated the home completely.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

Here, they get cooked with butter, brown sugar, orange zest and salt until glossy and jammy, then folded into a simple sour cream cake scented generously with cardamom.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

The executive aims to modernize the Columbus, Ohio-based retailer of fragrances, scented candles, body creams and decorative soaps through an expanded digital presence, refreshed product mix and more-creative marketing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

I’d rather have a Snickers or a Twix, but Ms. Sitton is handing out scented pencils to trick-or-treaters.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty

The Japanese accomplish subtle scenting with nioi-bukuro, breathable sachets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

Her recent Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which featured her upcycling supermarket bouquets and scenting flannels with lavender water, wasn't received entirely warmly either.

From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2025

Offshore investors sold record amounts of JGBs in the week the BOJ widened the band, scenting that its six-year old YCC policy was on the way out.

From Reuters ● Jan. 13, 2023

Signs that your feline friend is bonded to you include scenting by rubbing their head on you, showing their belly, blinking and letting you get close.

From Scientific American ● Dec. 21, 2022

Melted butter, a hint of cinnamon, and vanilla scenting the kitchen.

From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence

Related Words

• aura
• bouquet
• essence
• odor
• perfume
• spice
• whiff