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.

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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

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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.

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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

Tensions are rising as the scent perfumes senior centers and retirement communities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

The rodents have scent glands on their feet and trample on their droppings to mark their territory.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Dogs normally interpret people using many signals at once, including facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and scent.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

I wanted to resemble the relaxed browsers who paused over a melon because its scent had summoned them.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

Jonathan knelt and hugged the dog, burying his face in the soft fur, inhaling the familiar doggie scent.

From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret

The set, which includes six scents, is an ode to the renowned Route 66, with each fragrance representing different aspects of California culture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Nadira Goffe argues that watching the film in 4DX—which features, among other things, scents, moving chairs, and sprays of water—is the superior way to experience the epic adventure.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Joining that group this month is the luxury perfumer Le Labo, which is releasing incense in three of its popular home scents: Santal 26, Encens 9 and Ambroxyde 17.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

The New York-based business makes a variety of products, ranging from scents for perfumes to ingredients used in food that can help digestion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

There was no sign of the humans, but their scents were fresh and even sharper than before.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

They reminisce about the brown bread: those sweet, dark little wheat loaves scented with honey, molasses, cocoa powder and espresso.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

The beds are dotted with scented flowers such as honeysuckle, jasmine and lavender, and textured foliage and grasses that patients can touch and smell from their beds.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

“We can never go back to the old days where the air was clean and pure and sweet and scented with orange blossoms.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026

A big get at the time was putting highly scented Yankee Candles on shelves for the first time in 2017.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026

As the birds cooked, bits of steam broke through tiny cracks in the mud and scented the air with a delicious fragrance.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

It left Declan Rice running around outnumbered trying to plug gaps, England's vulnerable defence wide open time after time as possession was turned over, Greece scenting their chance.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2024

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

I tromped into the underbrush like a bloodhound scenting an invisible trail.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

Related Words

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