Scent Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Definition of scent ; 1 · effluvia from a substance that affect the sense of smell: such as ; a · an odor left by an animal on a surface passed over ; b · a ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut scent noun SaveWord \ˈsent \ Definitionofscent (Entry1of2) 1 :effluviafromasubstancethataffectthesenseofsmell:suchas a :anodorleftbyananimalonasurfacepassedover b :acharacteristicorparticularodor especially :onethatisagreeable 2a :powerofsmelling:senseofsmell akeenscent b :powerofdetection:nose ascentforheresy 3 :acourseofpursuitordiscovery throwoneoffthescent 4 :inkling,intimation ascentoftrouble 5 :perfumesense2 6 :bitsofpaperdroppedinthegameofhareandhounds 7 :amixturepreparedforuseasalureinhuntingorfishing scent verb scented;scenting;scents Definitionofscent (Entry2of2) transitiveverb 1a :toperceivebytheolfactoryorgans:smell b :togetorhaveaninklingof scenttrouble 2 :toimbueorfillwithodor scentedtheairwithperfume intransitiveverb 1 :toyieldanodorofsomespecifiedkind thisscentsofsulfur also :tobearindicationorsuggestions 2 :tousethenoseinseekingortrackingprey OtherWordsfromscent Synonyms&Antonyms ChoosetheRightSynonym MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutscent OtherWordsfromscent Noun scentless \ ˈsent-​ləs \ adjective Synonyms&Antonymsforscent Synonyms:Noun aroma, attar (alsootto), balm, bouquet, fragrance, fragrancy, incense, perfume, redolence, spice Synonyms:Verb incense, odorize, perfume Antonyms:Noun fetor, malodor, reek, stench, stink Antonyms:Verb stinkup VisittheThesaurusforMore  ChoosetheRightSynonymforscent Noun fragrance,perfume,scent,redolencemeanasweetorpleasantodor.fragrancesuggeststheodorsofflowersorothergrowingthings. thefragranceofpine perfumemaysuggestastrongerorheavierodor. theperfumeoflilacs scentisveryclosetoperfumebutofwiderapplicationbecausemoreneutralinconnotation. scent-freesoaps redolenceimpliesamixtureoffragrantorpungentodors. theredolenceofaforestafterarain smell,scent,odor,aromameanthequalitythatmakesathingperceptibletotheolfactorysense.smellimpliessolelythesensationwithoutsuggestionofqualityorcharacter. anoddsmellpermeatedtheroom scentappliestothecharacteristicsmellgivenoffbyasubstance,ananimal,oraplant. thescentoflilacs odormayimplyastrongerormorereadilydistinguishedscentoritmaybeequivalenttosmell. acheesewithastrongodor aromasuggestsasomewhatpenetratingusuallypleasantodor. thearomaoffreshlygroundcoffee ExamplesofscentinaSentence Noun Theflowerhasawonderfulscent. Thedogsfollowedthefox'sscent. Theprisonerescapedbecausethedogslosthisscent. Verb Thedogscentedarabbit. Shescentedtheairwithperfume. SeeMore RecentExamplesontheWeb:Noun Thecoupleswitchedbrandsandaddedascentneutralizingspray. — SharonTerlep,WSJ,5Jan.2022 Butthescentaddsalittlesomethingtotheexperienceasoneentersthiseleganthotel. — MattWake|[email protected],al,3Jan.2022 Othersignsincludethetracks,slides,whicharetrailsleftbythebeaver'sdraggingtail,alongwithscat,foodcaches,scentmoundsandthemotherlode:abeaverlodge,denordam. — LindseyBotts,TheArizonaRepublic,30Dec.2021 Nécessaire’seucalyptusbodywashiscreatedwithsoothingoilsandnon-irritatingnaturalexfoliantsthatgentlycleansetheskinwithoutstripping—plusthefreshscentactsassinusreliefforthosesufferingfromseasonalallergies. — JennaRennert,Vogue,29Dec.2021 Microorganisms,plants,andmostanimalsusesuchscentsignalstorelayinformation. — AndreaStone,Culture,27Dec.2021 Sulfuristypicallymixedwithotheractiveingredientstogetthemostefficacyandwithfragrancestomaskthestrongscent. — SarahJacoby,SELF,27Dec.2021 Eachscentismeticulouslydeveloped,representingtheemotionsandaromatherapythatcoddledthefragrancehousefounder. — CassellFerere,Forbes,23Dec.2021 Thewine’startredraspberryscentluresyouinbeforehittingyouwithflavorsofripeHoodstrawberriesandsconesjammedwithclottedcream. — MichaelAlberty|ForTheOregonian/oregonlive,oregonlive,22Dec.2021 RecentExamplesontheWeb:Verb Anyonewhohasexperiencedarainydayinthedesertknowsaboutthatdelicatefragrancethatrisestoscenttheshiftingwinds. — SanDiegoUnion-Tribune,25Dec.2021 Butitsmainpurposeistoscentyourspaceforuptoeightcordlesshours. — NykiaSpradley,Allure,29Nov.2021 Atthemoment,L’Orealisbenefittingfromaboominfragrances,toscentthereturntoreallife. — DavidMeyer,Fortune,4Nov.2021 Meanwhile,abacklashisstirringamongruralRepublicanpoliticianswhoscentanewbattlegroundinthepartisanculturewars. — MikeDorning,Fortune,16May2021 Lavenderalsocanbeusedtoscentyourbathorflavorsugar,cakes,cookies,custardsandassorteddesserts. — ConnieNelson,StarTribune,24Mar.2021 Despitetheseemingfutilityoftryingtoscentanunboundspace,Mrs.Treynetactuallyprefersusingincenseoutside. — CatherineDash,WSJ,31Mar.2021 Thebouquetcontainsspiraleucalyptus,roses,boxwood,waxflower,salalleavesandleatherfern,plusafewsprigsofrosemarytoscenttheairaroundit. — KrystinArneson,CNNUnderscored,26Mar.2021 NotonlydidactressKerryWashingtondubthehigh-endcandlebrandoneofherfavoritethings,butMeghanMarklealsousedthehigh-endcandlebrandtoscentherweddingtoPrinceHarry. — AmandaTarlton,USATODAY,8Dec.2020 Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'scent.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. SeeMore FirstKnownUseofscent Noun 15thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1Verb 15thcentury,inthemeaningdefinedattransitivesense1a HistoryandEtymologyforscent Noun MiddleEnglishsent,fromAnglo-Frenchsente,fromsentir Verb MiddleEnglishsenten,fromAnglo-Frenchsentirtofeel,smell,fromLatinsentiretoperceive,feel—moreatsense LearnMoreAboutscent Sharescent PosttheDefinitionofscenttoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofscentonTwitter TimeTravelerforscent Thefirstknownuseofscentwas inthe15thcentury Seemorewordsfromthesamecentury FromtheEditorsatMerriam-Webster WordsWe'reWatching:'Petrichor' WordsWe'reWatching:'Petrichor' Aka,thescentreleasedwhenrainhitsdryearth DictionaryEntriesNearscent Scenopinidae scent scentbag SeeMoreNearbyEntries  PhrasesRelatedtoscent onthescentof put(ananimal)offthe/someone'sscent Statisticsforscent LastUpdated 10Jan2022 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Scent.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scent.Accessed11Jan.2022. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforscent scent noun EnglishLanguageLearnersDefinitionofscent (Entry1of2) :apleasantsmellthatisproducedbysomething :asmellthatisleftbyananimalorpersonandthatcanbesensedandfollowedbysomeanimals(suchasdogs) :aslightindicationofsomethingthatisgoingtohappenorthatmighthappen scent verb EnglishLanguageLearnersDefinitionofscent (Entry2of2) :tobecomeawareof(something)bysmell :togive(something)apleasingsmell SeethefulldefinitionforscentintheEnglishLanguageLearnersDictionary scent noun \ˈsent \ KidsDefinitionofscent (Entry1of2) 1 :anodorthatisgivenoffbysomeoneorsomething …alittlewind…broughtafreshscentofnewlyturnedearthwithit.—FrancesHodgsonBurnett,TheSecretGarden 2 :powerorsenseofsmell Thedoghasakeenscent. 3 :acoursefollowedinsearchorpursuitofsomething Thereporterwasonthescentofastory. 4 :perfumeentry1sense1 scent verb scented;scenting KidsDefinitionofscent (Entry2of2) 1 :tobecomeawareoforfollowthroughthesenseofsmell Thedogscentedarabbit. 2 :togetahintof AuntPetuniaobviouslyscenteddanger,too…—J.K.Rowling,HarryPotterandtheSorcerer'sStone 3 :tofillwithanodor:perfume Rosesscenttheair. MorefromMerriam-Websteronscent Nglish:TranslationofscentforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofscentforArabicSpeakers Britannica.com:Encyclopediaarticleaboutscent WORDOFTHEDAY tome SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! TestYourVocabulary NamethatThing:FlowerEdition Namethatflower chrysanthemum hyacinth hydrangea amaryllis Canyouspellthese10commonlymisspelledwords? TAKETHEQUIZ Adailychallengeforcrosswordfanatics. TAKETHEQUIZ SubscribetoAmerica'slargestdictionaryandgetthousandsmoredefinitionsandadvancedsearch—adfree! Merriam-Websterunabridged WordsatPlay “InVinoVeritas”andOtherLatinPhrasestoLiveBy Top10LatinPhrases Merriam-Webster'sWordsoftheWeek-Jan.7 Fromtheweekending1/7/2022 DiggingUptheLatinRootsof14Abbreviations Beyond'i.e.'and'e.g.' TryNottoSlipon'Peel'and'Peal' Eyesarepeeled;thepealsareoflaughter AsktheEditors 'Everyday'vs.'EveryDay' Asimpletricktokeepthemseparate WhatIs'SemanticBleaching'? 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