Odor
An
odor or
odour or
fragrance is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called
scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors. The terms
fragrance and
aroma are used primarily by the food and cosmetic industry to describe a pleasant odor, and are sometimes used to refer to perfumes. In contrast,
malodor,
stench,
reek, and
stink are used specifically to describe unpleasant odor. In the United Kingdom,
odour refers to scents in general. In the United States,
odor has a more negative connotation, such as
smell,
stench or
stink, while
scent or
aroma are used for pleasant smells.