scent means A distinctive smell.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, scent ranks #1,386 of 25,264 for Qualifying.
scent is pronounced /sɛnt/.
Why “scent” is a great word
A distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant or left by an animal; to detect or perceive such a smell. From Middle English sent (noun) and senten (verb), from Old French sentir ('to feel, perceive, smell'), from Latin sentīre ('to feel, sense'), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent- ('to feel'); the unetymological -c- emerged in the 17th century, likely influenced by words like ascent and descent. Unlike 'odor,' a neutral or often unpleasant term, or 'fragrance,' which implies a sweet, delicate bouquet, scent carries a whisper of pursuit—something left behind, not just emitted. It is the ghost of rain on warm pavement, the singular fingerprint of a loved one’s skin, the vanished animal present only as a thread of musk through the underbrush—the most ancient and poignant language, speaking directly to memory long after the speaker is gone.
Etymology
From Middle English sent (noun) and senten (verb), from Old French sentir (“to feel, perceive, smell, sense”), from Latin sentiō, sentīre (“to feel, sense”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to feel”), and thus related to Saterland Frisian Sin (“sense”), West Frisian sin (“sense”), Dutch zin (“sense, meaning”), Low German Sinn (“sense”), Luxembourgish Sënn (“sense, perception”), German Sinn (“sense”). The -c- appeared in the 17th century, possibly by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science.
noun
- A distinctive smell.“the scent of flowers / of a skunk”
- A smell left by an animal that may be used for tracing.“The dogs picked up / caught the scent but then quickly lost it.”
- The sense of smell.“I believe the bloodhound has the best scent of all dogs.”
- A substance (usually liquid) created to provide a pleasant smell.“a scent shop”
- Any trail or trace that can be followed to find something or someone, such as the paper left behind in a paperchase.“The minister's off-hand remark put journalists on the scent of a cover-up.”
- Sense, perception.“A fit false dreame, that can delude the sleepers sent.”
verb
- To detect the scent of; to discern by the sense of smell.“The hounds scented the fox in the woods.”
- To inhale in order to detect the scent of (something).“I paused to scent the breeze as I entered the valley.”
- To have a suspicion of; to detect the possibility of (something).“I scented trouble when I saw them running down the hill towards me.”
- To impart an odour to, to cause to have a particular smell.“Scent the air with burning sage before you begin your meditation.”
- To have a smell; (figuratively) to give an impression (of something).“Thunderbolts & lightnings […] do sent strongly of brimstone:”
- To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.
Words closest in meaning
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