sense of smell — the ability to detect and identify odors or scents through the nose
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the ability to detect and identify odors or scents through the nose
Pronunciation (IPA): /sɛns əv smɛl/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's sense of smell is so sharp she can tell what's cooking three houses away.
- After catching a cold, he temporarily lost his sense of smell and couldn't taste his coffee.
- Sharks rely heavily on their sense of smell to find prey from far away.
sense of smell
NOUN[/sɛns əv smɛl/]
the ability to detect and identify odors or scents through the nose
A strong sense of smell leads the dog straight to the hidden treat.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This compound expression combines three elements: 'sense' derives from Latin 'sentire' (to feel, to perceive), 'of' is a preposition indicating possession, and 'smell' originates from Middle English 'smellen' (to perceive odor, to emit odor). The phrase literally encodes the meaning 'the faculty of perceiving odors' through its constituent parts.
Breakdown
sense (Latin sentire: to feel, perceive) + of (possessive preposition) + smell (Middle English smellen: to perceive or emit odor). The expression combines a Latin-derived abstract noun for sensory perception with a native Germanic verb for olfaction.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's sense of smell is so sharp she can tell what's cooking three houses away.”
“After catching a cold, he temporarily lost his sense of smell and couldn't taste his coffee.”
“Sharks rely heavily on their sense of smell to find prey from far away.”
“My dog's sense of smell is so good he found my hidden snacks in five seconds.”
📚Related Words
Antonyms
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