✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Learn More!
✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary — Learn More!

odor

noun

ˈō-dər How to pronounce odor (audio)
Synonyms of odornext
1
a
: a quality of something that stimulates the olfactory organ : scent
b
: a sensation resulting from adequate stimulation of the olfactory organ : smell
2
a
: a characteristic or predominant quality : flavor
the odor of sanctity
b
: repute, estimation
in bad odor
3
archaic : something that emits a sweet or pleasing scent : perfume
odored
ˈō-dərd How to pronounce odor (audio)
adjective
odorless
ˈō-dər-ləs How to pronounce odor (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of odor

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for odor

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 odor in a Sentence

The cheese has a strong odor. This deodorant prevents bad odor from occurring.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some people find that warm to hot foods and foods with strong odors can increase their nausea. —Mary Nolan-Pleckham, Verywell Health, 5 Jan. 2026 This Mumi Travel Laundry Bag is made of moisture-proof and odor-resistant material that locks in funky smells, preventing the rest of your clothing from getting stinky. —Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026 The odor of this season won’t leave so easily. —Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026 Its acidity effectively breaks down grease, eliminates mold, neutralizes odors, and dissolves mineral deposits. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for odor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English odour, borrowed from Anglo-French odur, borrowed from Latin odor (early Latin odōs), going back to *od-os-, s-stem derivative of a verbal base *od- (whence Latin oleō, olēre, also olō, olere "to give off a smell, smell (of)," from *odere), going back to Indo-European *h3ed-, whence Greek ózein "to smell, give off an odor," Armenian hot "smell, odor" (probably also an s-stem), Lithuanian úodžiu, úosti "to smell, sniff"

Note: The length in the Baltic form is attributed to Winter's Law, which is believed to lengthen vowels before an original voiced, unaspirated stop in Baltic and Slavic in certain environments.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of odor was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing odor

Rhymes for odor

See All Rhymes for odor

Browse Nearby Words

-odonty
odor
odorant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Odor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odor. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

odor

noun
ˈōd-ər How to pronounce odor (audio)
: the quality of something that stimulates the sense of smell : scent
also : a sensation resulting from such stimulation
odorless
-ləs How to pronounce odor (audio)
adjective

Medical Definition

odor

noun
variants or chiefly British odour
ˈōd-ər How to pronounce odor (audio)
1
: a quality of something that stimulates the olfactory organ : smell
2
: a sensation resulting from adequate chemical stimulation of the olfactory organ
a disagreeable odor
odored adjective
or chiefly British odoured
odorless adjective
or chiefly British odourless

More from Merriam-Webster on odor

Nglish: Translation of odor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about odor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Ten Kinds of Happiness

The Words of the Week - Jan. 2

17 Words for Dog Breeds

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang
See More

Popular

See More

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Ten Kinds of Happiness
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
colorful-umbrella-among-black-umbrellas
Weather Words Can you handle the (barometric) pressure?
See All