odor
n. C / Un. a smell, especially one that is strong or unpleasant. You use this word when you want to be more formal or scientific than just saying 'smell'.
n. a distinctive smell, typically an unpleasant one. Often used in technical, medical, or formal contexts to describe chemical or biological scents.
The strong odor of onions filled the kitchen.
Natural gas is actually scentless, so companies add a distinct odor to help people detect leaks.
The damp basement emitted a pungent, musty odor that suggested the presence of mold behind the drywall, necessitating a professional inspection.
From Middle English odour, borrowed from Anglo-Norman odour, from Old French odor, from Latin odor. Cognates * Swedish odör (“bad smell”)
Commonly modified by adjectives like 'faint', 'strong', 'pungent', or 'unpleasant'.
The flower has a lovely odor.The flower has a lovely scent.In modern English, 'odor' usually implies a bad or chemical smell; use 'scent' or 'fragrance' for pleasant smells.