scent is very close to perfume but of wider application because more neutral in connotation.
scent-free soaps
redolence implies a mixture of fragrant or pungent odors.
the redolence of a forest after a rain
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
Noun The flower has a wonderful scent. The dogs followed the fox's scent. The prisoner escaped because the dogs lost his scent. Verb The dog scented a rabbit. She scented the air with perfume.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Dogs are renowned for their ability to identify and track objects by scent. Tom Metcalfe, NBC News, 26 July 2022 For those who aren’t soothed by the scent of cordite, Super offered an alternative. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 Chiklak heard a commotion on Tuesday night as bears went inside a nearby tent, drawn by the scent of food. Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 30 June 2022 Every spring there is a moment when I am overcome by the scent of the new season. Genevieve Fullan, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2022 At Plénitude, the chef works like a perfumer, seeking to evoke the range of emotion aroused by a unique scent, but through his own medium: sauces. Vivian Song, Robb Report, 16 Jan. 2022 Jocelyn Bennett paints her daughters’ toenails, not bothered by the strong scent of nail polish filling the room at the HomeTown Studios in Orlando. Vladimir Isachenkov, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Aug. 2021 Maybe Asha and Ravi want to throw nosy aunties off the scent. Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2022 The lip glosses were designed to resemble the sauces not just in color but also in scent. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 29 July 2022
Verb
But, scent aside, both sticks are infused with sodium PCA. Sarah Han, Allure, 18 July 2022 Dr Acharya mentions that essential oils (concentrated oils extracted from plants) are also used to scent products (often by brands which market themselves as 'natural' or 'clean'). Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 8 Feb. 2022 For a few precious weeks, its regal petals scent the surrounding area with a lemony fragrance.BostonGlobe.com, 6 May 2022 This hand-poured, clean-burning soy candle will scent your apartment for up to 60 hours.Bon Appétit, 26 Apr. 2022 The cluster of pines that scent my favorite picnic spot. Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 22 Apr. 2022 Anyone who has experienced a rainy day in the desert knows about that delicate fragrance that rises to scent the shifting winds.San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2021 But its main purpose is to scent your space for up to eight cordless hours. Nykia Spradley, Allure, 29 Nov. 2021 At the moment, L’Oreal is benefitting from a boom in fragrances, to scent the return to real life. David Meyer, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sent, from Anglo-French sente, from sentir
Verb
Middle English senten, from Anglo-French sentir to feel, smell, from Latin sentire to perceive, feel — more at sense