perfume — a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes
Pronunciation (IPA): /pərˈfjuːm/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's perfume was so strong, even the mailman knew when she was home.
- She bought a new perfume for her job interview to make a good first impression.
- The perfume was so expensive that I had to sell my kidney... just kidding, but almost!
perfume
NOUN[/pərˈfjuːm/]
a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes
Spraying fragrant perfume on wrist
Her perfume makes flowers bloom throughout the room!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Perfume derives from Latin 'per' (through) and 'fumus' (smoke), literally meaning 'through smoke'. In antiquity, fragrance was produced by burning aromatic substances, so the concept of scent became associated with the smoke that carried these aromas.
Breakdown
per- (through) + fumare (to smoke, from fumus meaning smoke) → perfume, literally 'to smoke through'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's perfume was so strong, even the mailman knew when she was home.”
“She bought a new perfume for her job interview to make a good first impression.”
“The perfume was so expensive that I had to sell my kidney... just kidding, but almost!”
“The roses in the garden naturally perfume the air in spring.”
📚Related Words
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