scent
Americannoun
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a distinctive odor, especially when agreeable.
the scent of roses.
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an odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced.
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a track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor.
The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped.
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the sense of smell.
a remarkably keen scent.
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small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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a distinctive smell, esp a pleasant one
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a smell left in passing, by which a person or animal may be traced
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a trail, clue, or guide
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an instinctive ability for finding out or detecting
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another word (esp Brit) for perfume
verb
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(tr) to recognize or be aware of by or as if by the smell
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(tr) to have a suspicion of; detect
I scent foul play
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(tr) to fill with odour or fragrance
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(intr) (of hounds, etc) to hunt by the sense of smell
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to smell (at)
the dog scented the air
Synonym Usage
See odor.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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scentlessnessnoun
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outscentverb (used with object)
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nonscentedadjective
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overscentedadjective
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scentedadjective
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scentlessadjective
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unscentedadjective
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well-scentedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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scentsimple
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scentssimple
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have scentedperfect
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has scentedperfect
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am scentingprogressive
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are scentingprogressive
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is scentingprogressive
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have been scentingperfect progressive
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has been scentingperfect progressive
Past
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scentedsimple
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had scentedperfect
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was scentingprogressive
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were scentingprogressive
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had been scentingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing scent
The Nose Knows: Olfactory Vocabulary
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Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Smell Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Beavers, nature's engineers, were hunted to extinction in Britain centuries ago, prized for their fur, meat and scent glands.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Korkejian translates it as: “Waves, waves fold over, and send her scent to me, from the rugged cliffs of the Mediterranean, to the bars of my balcony.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Tide aficionados are deeply loyal to the scent of the detergent, so that had to come through in the tiles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Terpenes are natural compounds responsible for the scent and flavor of many plants.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
On Clare’s journey out of the dump, the scent of bonfires began to snake through the trees.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Inspired by the Alps of northern Italy, each of the six scents captures a moment, place or object from founder Ermenegildo Zegna’s life, preserving memory through fragrance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 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
Despite being marketed as an eau de parfum for men, the fragrance’s notes leaned more toward typically unisex scents.
From Salon ● May 27, 2026
I’m having a hard time leaving my parents’ garage; there’s something comforting about this familiar blend of scents.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
There was nothing artificial about the atmosphere as every Macclesfield fan scented another shock in the cold night air.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026
Daniel Chiaberta zips through the crowds at the FAO Schwarz toy store in Midtown Manhattan, pointing out giant giraffe plush toys, luxury teddy bears and scented slime.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025
Mascarpone frosting, lightly scented with cardamom and lemon, crowns the whole, airy yet substantial, a gentle counterpoint to the cake’s density.
From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2025
Even more giggle-inducing, I was pelted with scented foam apples and dive-bombed by half a dozen drone-piloted flying monkeys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025
I love a fresh mouth, ah, a scented mouth, And curving hair, subtle as a smoke, And light fingers, and laughter of green gems.
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
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
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
In the summer, the hardliners struck, scenting weakness in a man now abandoned by many liberal allies.
From Reuters ● Aug. 30, 2022
The adults were looking around, and then the woman put the monkey down, and it began to cast this way and that on the grass as if it were scenting or looking for footprints.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
