perfume

noun per·fume \ ˈpər-ˌfyüm , (ˌ)pər-ˈfyüm \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of perfume

1 : the scent of something sweet-smelling

2 : a substance that emits a pleasant odor; especially : a fluid preparation of natural essences (as from plants or animals) or synthetics and a fixative used for scenting

See perfume defined for English-language learners

See perfume defined for kids

Examples of perfume in a Sentence

She smelled the different perfumes at the store.
the perfume of fresh flowers filled the room

Recent Examples of perfume from the Web

At one point in the series, Villanelle steals Eve’s suitcase and re-packs it with designer clothes and a bottle of high-end perfume bearing her codename.

— rachel syme, The New Republic, "In Killing Eve, Two Women Are Fed Up and Dangerous," 6 Apr. 2018
Not buying lingerie at Victoria's Secret or perfume at Sephora, as her card indicated.

— robert anglen, azcentral, "Credit union watches elderly woman's account drain, then taps it to pay off drug-using son's bogus charges," 2 Apr. 2018
In their lush rainforest surroundings every breath is redolent with the humid, musty smell of the soil; the putrid fumes of nature decomposing; the fragrant wafts of flowers exuding their perfumes.

— asifa majid, Time, "Humans Are Neglecting Our Sense of Smell. Here's What We Could Gain By Fixing That," 7 Mar. 2018
But Jay-Z likened the consequences Sterling faced to spraying perfume on a trash can.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Jay-Z thinks Trump is 'in pain.' The president responded on Twitter," 28 Jan. 2018
The smell of jet fuel mixed with animal and human waste and burning charcoal fires created a heady perfume that coated the sinuses.

— mark curnutte, Cincinnati.com, "From the archives: Reaching out to Haiti, coverage of 2010 earthquake," 13 Jan. 2018
For his perfumes, Meyer creates backstories inspired by fictions, tonics that smell like people who never lived.

— Longreads, "Smell, Memory," 9 Jan. 2018
Nine bottles of perfume priced at $985 were reported stolen at 2:24 p.m. March 21 from Lord & Taylor, 180 Oakbrook Center.

— chuck fieldman, chicagotribune.com, "Police blotter: Lord & Taylor in Oakbrook Center reports almost $1,000 worth of perfume stolen," 23 Mar. 2018
To celebrate its 50 years of perfume, and to invite people to discover scents that can be sprayed, the brand just opened a three-month long pop-up exhibition in SoHo.

— jamie rosen, Town & Country, "Diptyque Is Creating Its First Bespoke Scent—And It Could Be For You," 16 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perfume.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of perfume

Middle French perfum, probably from Old Occitan, from perfumar to perfume, from per- thoroughly (from Latin) + fumar to smoke, from Latin fumare, from fumus smoke — more at fume

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1593

See Words from the same year

perfume Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of perfume

fragrance, perfume, scent, redolence mean a sweet or pleasant odor. fragrance suggests the odors of flowers or other growing things.

- the fragrance of pine

perfume may suggest a stronger or heavier odor.

- the perfume of lilacs

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

perfume

verb per·fume \ (ˌ)pər-ˈfyüm , ˈpər-ˌfyüm \

Definition of perfume

perfumed; perfuming

transitive verb

: to fill or imbue with an odor

See perfume defined for English-language learners

Examples of perfume in a Sentence

The meal included a delicate fish perfumed with butter and herbs.
a time when it was common for men to perfume their hair

Recent Examples of perfume from the Web

Ronnie and Vinny even have scruff, a move that's antithetical to the laundered, waxed, and perfumed Jersey Shore male aesthetic.

— megan gustashaw, GQ, "The Jersey Shore Guys Dress Like Scott Disick Now," 30 Mar. 2018
On his new 14-track LP, Ray valiantly divulges his experiences with sweet-sounding love, perfumed lust and bass-rattling betrayal.

— bianca alysse, Billboard, "Arin Ray on His New Album 'Platinum Fire,' Starting Out on 'X Factor' & Working With YG," 9 Mar. 2018
Whipped labneh is subtly perfumed with rosewater, lending a floral whiff to curls of salted Persian cucumber dusted with za’atar; tahini slipped under flaky spanakopita-like hand pies contributes a nutty bass note.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Is How You Taste All L.A.’s Best New Restaurants in One Night," 24 Jan. 2018
Whipped labneh is subtly perfumed with rosewater, lending a floral whiff to curls of salted Persian cucumber dusted with za’atar; tahini slipped under flaky spanakopita-like hand pies contributes a nutty bass note.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Is How You Taste All L.A.’s Best New Restaurants in One Night," 24 Jan. 2018
Mulberry trees line the approach to the vineyard, there's an adjacent apple orchard, and the scent of roses from Tonsi's garden perfumes the air.

— emma o'kelly, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Guide to Franciacorta, Italy's Most Chill Wine Region," 22 Feb. 2018
Flowers, piles of chocolate and open bottles of red wine perfumed the air; guests helped themselves to the red wine but shied from the food.

— tony bravo, San Francisco Chronicle, "NYFW: Raf Simons, Tom Ford offer two takes on the ’80s," 9 Feb. 2018
Whipped labneh is subtly perfumed with rosewater, lending a floral whiff to curls of salted Persian cucumber dusted with za’atar; tahini slipped under flaky spanakopita-like hand pies contributes a nutty bass note.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Is How You Taste All L.A.’s Best New Restaurants in One Night," 24 Jan. 2018
Whipped labneh is subtly perfumed with rosewater, lending a floral whiff to curls of salted Persian cucumber dusted with za’atar; tahini slipped under flaky spanakopita-like hand pies contributes a nutty bass note.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "This Is How You Taste All L.A.’s Best New Restaurants in One Night," 24 Jan. 2018