a distinctive odor, especially when agreeable: the scent of roses.
an odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced.
a track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor: The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped.
perfume.
the sense of smell: a remarkably keen scent.
small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds.
verb (used with object)
to perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell: to scent trouble.
to fill with an odor; perfume.
verb (used without object)
to hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound.
Origin of scent
First recorded in 1325–75; (verb) earlier sent,Middle English senten, from Middle French sentir “to smell,” from Latin sentīre, “to feel”; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb Cf. sense
SYNONYMS FOR scent
7 smell, sniff.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR scent ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for scent
1. See odor.
OTHER WORDS FROM scent
scentless,adjectivescent·less·ness,nounnon·scent·ed,adjectiveoutscent,verb (used with object)
This Portland company offers a variety of scents, but get the vanilla sugar if you want to smell like a super-refreshed cupcake.
This Weekend: You’ll Never Bathe the Same Way Again|Joshua Eferighe|August 21, 2020|Ozy
The finding, described August 12 in Nature, could inform new ways of controlling or preventing locust swarms, potentially by attracting the insects with their own scents.
A single molecule may entice normally solitary locusts to form massive swarms|Jonathan Lambert|August 12, 2020|Science News
If we can understand how the brain processes individual scents as electrical information, it might be possible to reverse-engineer the smell of bubbling lasagna and deliver it straight to your brain.
A Highway to Smell: How Scientists Used Light to Incept Smell in Mice|Shelly Fan|July 1, 2020|Singularity Hub
After 10 minutes, the researchers gave each bee the same lemony scent followed by sugar water.
Pesticides can have long-term impact on bumblebee learning|Alison Pearce Stevens|May 18, 2020|Science News For Students
They are snaking back and forth in search of the scent that will get them their ball.
Conservation is going to the dogs|Alison Pearce Stevens|April 2, 2020|Science News For Students
Selling off the extras, I saw my neighbor marvel at the scent and murmur that he wished he could afford one.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison|Daniel Genis|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He even claims that hen partridges conceive just by smelling the scent of males.
Why Aristotle Deserves A Posthumous Nobel|Nick Romeo|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is not the boisterous version of Pacino, the one we saw as Tony Montana in Scarface or as Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman.
Al Pacino Does What He Wants to Do: 'The Humbling,' Scorsese, and That 'Scarface' Remake|Alex Suskind|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Unless, of course, everything he told us is “a big farce” to lead challengers off the scent.
ESPN’s Bracket Champion Shares His March Madness Secrets|Ben Teitelbaum|March 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His movie career began in movies like Scent of a Woman (1992).
Philip Seymour Hoffman: An Actor First|Tim Teeman|February 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The music, the lights, the haze of smoke and the scent of food were depressing.
Sally Bishop|E. Temple Thurston
He could scent the flower-like odour of her body and wrapping, even her hair.
The Harvester|Gene Stratton Porter
These Hounds hunt both by scent and by sight, their scenting-power being developed to a remarkable degree.
Sporting Dogs|Frank Townend Barton
He had risen out of his drug-created dreams, and was hot upon the scent of some new problem.
The Lock And Key Library|Various
They have the senses of sight, hearing, and scent prodigiously developed.
Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China|Evariste Regis Huc
British Dictionary definitions for scent
scent
/ (sɛnt) /
noun
a distinctive smell, esp a pleasant one
a smell left in passing, by which a person or animal may be traced
a trail, clue, or guide
an instinctive ability for finding out or detecting
another word (esp Brit) for perfume
verb
(tr)to recognize or be aware of by or as if by the smell
(tr)to have a suspicion of; detectI scent foul play
(tr)to fill with odour or fragrance
(intr)(of hounds, etc) to hunt by the sense of smell