scent

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A pleasant smell.

   The scent of flowers filled the room.

2. 2
   noun

   A smell left by an animal or person that can be followed.

   The dogs picked up the fox's scent and ran off.

3. 3
   noun

   A liquid made to give a pleasant smell; perfume.

   She dabbed a little scent on her wrist.

4. 4
   verb

   To smell or detect something by its smell.

   The hounds scented the fox in the woods.

Common collocations

• fresh scent Adjective + noun

From Middle English sent (noun) and senten (verb), from Old French sentir (“to feel, perceive, smell, sense”), from Latin 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.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images