ˈōdə(r) noun
( -s )
Usage: see -or
Etymology: Middle English odour, from Old French, from Latin odor; akin to Latin olēre to smell, Greek ozein to smell, odmē, osmē smell, odor, Lithuanian uosti to smell, and perhaps to Swedish os odor, ill-smelling gas
1.
a. : a quality of something that affects the sense of smell : scent , fragrance , aroma
one … system classifies all odors according to six fundamental sensations or combinations of sensations: namely, spicy, flowery, fruity, resinous, foul and burnt — F.J.Gruber
b. : one of a class of sensations resulting from adequate chemical stimulation of the receptors for the sense of smell : smell
emit an odor
a sweet odor
a disagreeable odor
the odor of a bakery — William Black
the penetrating, acid odor of hardwood smoke — Rufus Jarman
a new odor … the sweet, intense smell of overripe fruit — William Beebe
2.
a. : a characteristic or predominant quality : flavor
the odor of earnestness is not good for melodrama — E.R.Bentley
an odor of … unsavory politics — G.F.Cronkhite
a faint odor of romance — Nation
b. : repute , estimation
another … committee in equally bad odor as regards the propriety of its procedures — R.D.Leigh
3. archaic : something (as incense, spice, a flower) that emits a sweet or pleasing scent : perfume
throw in … all sorts of spices and sweet odors — James Maxwell
Synonyms: see smell