scent

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English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From c.1400, borrowed from Old French sentir (“to feel, perceive, smell”), from Old French sentire "to feel, perceive, sense"; originally a hunting term, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to feel”), and thus related to Dutch zin (“sense, meaning”), German Sinn (“sense”), Low German Sinn (“sense”), Luxembourgish Sënn (“sense, perception”), Saterland Frisian Sin (“sense”), West Frisian sin (“sense”). The -c- appeared in the 17th century, possibly by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

scent (countable and uncountable, plural scents)

  1. A distinctive odour or smell.
    the scent of flowers
    the scent of a skunk
  2. An odour left by an animal that may be used for tracing.
    The dogs lost the scent.
  3. The sense of smell.
    I believe the bloodhound has the best scent of all dogs.
  4. A perfume.
  5. (figuratively) Any trail or trace that can be followed to find something or someone, such as the paper left behind in a paperchase.
  6. (obsolete) Sense, perception.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene:
      A fit false dream, that can delude the sleeper's sent.

Usage notes[edit]

  • Almost always applied to agreeable odors (fragrances).

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb[edit]

scent (third-person singular simple present scents, present participle scenting, simple past and past participle scented)

  1. to detect the scent of
    The hounds scented the fox in the woods.
    • Shakespeare
      Methinks I scent the morning air.
  2. to impart an odour to
    Scent the air with burning sage before you begin your meditation.
    • Dryden
      Balm from a silver box distilled around, / Shall all bedew the roots, and scent the sacred ground.
  3. To have a smell.
    • Holland
      Thunderbolts […] do scent strongly of brimstone.
  4. To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Anagrams[edit]

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