scent

noun

\ ˈsent

Definition of scent

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 characteristic or particular odor especially : one that is agreeable

2a : power of smelling : sense of smell a keen scent

b : power of detection : nose a scent for heresy

3 : a course of pursuit or discovery throw one off the scent

4 : inkling, intimation a scent of trouble

5 : perfume sense 2

6 : bits of paper dropped in the game of hare and hounds

7 : a mixture prepared for use as a lure in hunting or fishing

scent

verb

scented; scenting; scents

Definition of scent (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to perceive by the olfactory organs : smell

b : to get or have an inkling of scent trouble

2 : to imbue or fill with odor scented the air with perfume

intransitive verb

1 : to yield an odor of some specified kind this scents of sulfur also : to bear indication or suggestions

2 : to use the nose in seeking or tracking prey

Other Words from scent Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about scent

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Synonyms & Antonyms for scent

Synonyms: Noun

aroma, attar (also otto), balm, bouquet, fragrance, fragrancy, incense, perfume, redolence, spice

Synonyms: Verb

incense, odorize, perfume

Antonyms: Noun

fetor, malodor, reek, stench, stink

Antonyms: Verb

stink up

Choose the Right Synonym for scent

Noun

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

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

Examples of scent in a Sentence

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

The name and scent of the new perfume is unknown, but the bottle is fittingly shaped like a giant pair of pink lips (duh). — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kylie Jenner's First Perfume Is Shaped Like Giant Lips," 1 Apr. 2019 Getty ImagesMaria Mosolova The spicy cinnamon and clove scent of this delicate bouquet will be a pleasant surprise to your valentine. — Carly Orleach, Woman's Day, "How to Make Fresh Flowers Last Longer," 15 Feb. 2019 Plus, the sweet scent alone is enough to make this face mask worth a try. — Amina Lake Abdelrahman, Good Housekeeping, "This $15 Overnight Face Mask Is Saving My Dry Skin This Winter," 15 Feb. 2019 Consider scents such as juniper, fig, pine and sage. — Cathy Hobbs, The Seattle Times, "Snowbound? It’s a great time to get hygge," 11 Feb. 2019 Directly underneath is a blocky mini-room that will soon be a scent bar where customers can sniff terpenes, the aromatic compounds secreted by the leaves of cannabis plants. — Angela Chen, The Verge, "Weed and luxury in Las Vegas," 15 Nov. 2018 The molecular vibrations of a scent molecule might provide the right jump down in energy that electrons need to tunnel from one part of an odor receptor to another. — Tim Folger, Discover Magazine, "How Quantum Mechanics Lets Us See, Smell and Touch," 24 Oct. 2018 The exciting part: The fragrance is the first new scent from Dior since the luxury label launched J’Adore almost 20 years ago in 1999. — Kaitlyn Frey, PEOPLE.com, "Jennifer Lawrence Named Face of Dior's First New Fragrance in Nearly 20 Years," 19 June 2018 In movies about hustlers and confidence games, there is usually the scent of underlying treachery, the possibility of dishonor among thieves. — Gary Thompson, Philly.com, "'Ocean's 8': Sandra Bullock-led reboot with stiletto heels," 6 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The seafoam green body oil gives skin a dewy radiance and is lightly scented with jasmine sambac from India and French sea kelp. — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, "These Mermaid-Inspired Products Want to Be a Part of Your World," 11 June 2018 Known as the Alchemist’s Garden, Gucci’s striking new 15-piece collection includes perfumed oils, eaux de parfum, and one XXL scented candle—all of which made their debut yesterday exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue. — Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, "Meet the Striking New Gucci Perfumes Plucked From Alessandro Michele’s Madcap Mind," 8 Jan. 2019 Through large windows with no shutters, a breeze scented with lavender and rosemary rushes over the grapes, an ancient process of drying known as appassimento that concentrates the fruit as moisture dissipates. — Christopher Ross, WSJ, "The Hidden Valley in the Italian Alps Where Winemakers Are Working Against Nature," 15 Feb. 2019 Two women try professional eyebrow threading Depilatory Creams: Start With a Patch Test Gone are the days when depilatory creams were pungently scented — there are lots of new ones that are gentle and fragrance-free. — Sam Escobar, Good Housekeeping, "8 Gentle and Effective Ways to Remove Facial Hair," 17 Aug. 2018 On the surrounding grounds, cornflowers, foxglove and lily of the valley will be in full force this month, and the air, even in smoggy London, will be scented with apple blossom. — Joanna Pocock, latimes.com, "Romance is in the air at London's green spaces," 13 May 2018 Philyra added these to a database and compared them to additional customer data provided by Symrise, like which scents were best-sellers and where, who was buying them, and which age demographic prefers which scents the most. — Chavie Lieber, Vox, "Is AI the future of perfume? IBM is betting on it.," 24 Oct. 2018 To scent a feeling or an object that has no odor, however, requires learning another language, a more psychic one. — Cotton Codinha, Allure, "Mathilde Laurent Used All of Her Senses to Create a Scent That Smells Like Diamonds," 2 Oct. 2018 The hair lightener is scented with Ouai No.6, which smells like coconut and pineapple. — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, "Ouai Created a Modern Version of Sun-In," 1 May 2018

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

History and Etymology for scent

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

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Dictionary Entries near scent

Statistics for scent

Last Updated

14 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for scent

The first known use of scent was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for scent

scent

noun

English Language Learners Definition of scent

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a pleasant smell that is produced by something

: a smell that is left by an animal or person and that can be sensed and followed by some animals (such as dogs)

: a slight indication of something that is going to happen or that might happen

scent

verb

English Language Learners Definition of scent (Entry 2 of 2)

: to become aware of (something) by smell

: to give (something) a pleasing smell

See the full definition for scent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

scent

noun

\ ˈsent

Kids Definition of scent

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an odor that is given off by someone or something … a little wind … brought a fresh scent of newly turned earth with it.— Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

2 : power or sense of smell The dog has a keen scent.

3 : a course followed in search or pursuit of something The reporter was on the scent of a story.

4 : perfume entry 1 sense 1