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⇱ scent - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

scent

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈsɛnt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/sɛnt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(sent)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
scent /sɛnt/USA pronunciation  n. 
  1. [countable] a special smell, esp. when pleasant.
  2. Animal Behavior a smell left in passing, by which an animal or person may be traced:[countable]The bloodhounds picked up the scent.
  3. a track or set of clues that leads one somewhere:[countable]detectives on the scent of the crook.
  4. [uncountable] perfume.
  5. Physiology the sense of smell:[uncountable]animals with keen scent.

v. [~ + object]
  1. to sense or recognize by or as if by smell:to scent trouble.
  2. to fill with an odor or smell:a room heavily scented with pine.
scent•ed, adj. See -sent-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
scent  (sent),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a distinctive odor, esp. when agreeable:the scent of roses.
  2. Animal Behavioran odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced.
  3. a track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor:The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped.
  4. perfume.
  5. Physiologythe sense of smell:a remarkably keen scent.
  6. small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds.

v.t. 
  1. to perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell:to scent trouble.
  2. to fill with an odor;
    perfume.

v.i. 
  1. Animal Behaviorto hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound.
  • Latin sentīre to feel; (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal Cf. sense
  • Middle French sentir to smell
  • (verb, verbal) earlier sent, Middle English senten 1325–75
scent′less, adj. 
scent′less•ness, n. 
    1. See odor. 7. smell, sniff.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
scent /sɛnt/ n
  1. a distinctive smell, esp a pleasant one
  2. a smell left in passing, by which a person or animal may be traced
  3. a trail, clue, or guide
  4. an instinctive ability for finding out or detecting
  5. another word (esp Brit) for perfume
 vb
  1. (transitive) to recognize or be aware of by or as if by the smell
  2. (transitive) to have a suspicion of; detect: I scent foul play
  3. (transitive) to fill with odour or fragrance
  4. (intransitive) (of hounds, etc) to hunt by the sense of smell
  5. to smell (at): the dog scented the air
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French sentir to sense, from Latin sentīre to feel; see senseˈscented adj
'scent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a [fragrant, fruity, musty, flowery] scent, a [putrid, heady, light, faint, pungent] scent, an [overpowering, overwhelming] scent, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "scent" in the title:

a heady scent
a scent of black
aroma brings out scent
Aroma vs aromatic scent
bringing with it the scent of May
Can a scent travel you to a place?
Can I say "catch a smell of the cake", meaning "smell the scent of the cake"?
commercial appeal that results in a scent
Do lionesses scent-mark their territories?
drench one's scent
dry perfume scent
faint scent of woodsmoke
fan-vaulting scent
Find the scent of human girl and earn your freedom.
flout convention or to throw others off the scent
Flower scent
Flowers without scent, and fruits that would not grow
foam-rubber scent of victory (football)
fragrance, scent, aroma
get a bit of a scent about
heavy scent in the air
Home sweet scent
hot on the scent
In the distance, sharp and sweet, came the scent of spilt blood.
its scent a halo around her still
Keep/Leave a scent?
light scent
Missing the faint scent your fragrant lips emitted/gave off
of its scent
pick up the scent/motorway/glow
more...

Look up "scent" at Merriam-Webster
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