odor
Meaning of odor: An odor is a smell produced when airborne molecules stimulate the olfactory system.
Definition of odor
An odor is a smell associated with molecules released by a substance and carried through the air. When these molecules reach olfactory sensory neurons high inside the nose, receptor activity is relayed to the brain and perceived as a particular smell. Odors may be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, and perception can vary among people and with health conditions.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The clinician documented the character and duration of the unusual odor reported by the patient.
Good to know
A new or unusual body odor can have many possible explanations and is not diagnostic by itself. An odor perceived when no odor source is present is called phantosmia.
Word origin
Where “odor” comes from
From Latin odor, meaning “smell” or “scent.” The British spelling is odour.