smell, scent, odor, aroma mean the quality that makes a thing perceptible to the olfactory sense.
smell implies solely the sensation without suggestion of quality or character.
an odd smell permeated the room
scent applies to the characteristic smell given off by a substance, an animal, or a plant.
the scent of lilacs
odor may imply a stronger or more readily distinguished scent or it may be equivalent to smell.
a cheese with a strong odor
aroma suggests a somewhat penetrating usually pleasant odor.
the aroma of freshly ground coffee
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe aroma of sweet glaze and spicy cinnamon fills Long's Bakery and cake and signature yeast doughnuts, cookies and brownies line the pastry display. Rachel Fradette, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2022 Cook Inlet mud, swamp gas, brush hauling, rotten fish carcasses, and the aroma of wet retriever dominating your sense of smell. Steve Meyer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022 All the while, the sweet aroma of dashi envelops the kitchen like a cozy, weighted blanket. Jess Eng, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2022 The aroma of cypress, pine, and eucalyptus from this handcrafted soy candle will trigger his senses. Jamie Kravitz, Woman's Day, 10 Aug. 2022 There's something refreshing about the summery aroma of basil growing indoors on a windowsill. Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022 On a bustling Friday morning, the aroma of rice and beans wafts through a cloud of hairspray in Romy’s Beauty Salon in Meriden. Patrick Raycraft, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2022 The cooler evening breezes would carry the aroma of the wood burning stove to us in the courtyard, reminding us of the efforts my mother took to make our meals. Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 29 June 2022 The heady aroma of unburned hydrocarbons and charred rubber is in the air. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 22 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English aromat "fragrant substance, as a spice or ointment," borrowed from Anglo-French aromat, aromant "balm," borrowed from Latin arōmat-, arōma "fragrant substance, spice," borrowed from Greek arōmat-, árōma, of obscure origin