odour

odour — noun

1. what you notice through your nose when something gives off a smell — usually a s

1.nounC2
Definition

what you notice through your nose when something gives off a smell — usually a strong or unpleasant one, such as the smell of rotting food, sweat, or chemicals.

Example

A sour odour drifted from the bin Marcus had forgotten to empty for two weeks.

an odour drifted from + source

The kitchen filled with the rich odour of garlic and roasted lamb.

the odour of + food noun

Common collocations
  • a foul odour
  • a faint odour
  • a sweet odour
  • give off an odour
  • body odour
Synonyms
  • smell

    everyday neutral word; 'odour' is more formal and often hints at unpleasantness

  • scent

    usually pleasant or distinctive (perfume, flowers); 'odour' leans neutral or bad

  • stench

    always strong and unpleasant; stronger than 'odour'

  • aroma

    pleasant smell, especially of food or coffee; opposite tone to 'odour'

Grammar Patterns

an odour of + noun

give off an odour

Usage Note

More formal than 'smell' and slightly clinical; common in writing, food reviews, and medical or scientific contexts. Often paired with adjectives that judge the smell (foul, faint, sweet, sharp). 'Odour' is the British spelling; American English uses 'odor'.

Common Mistakes

The cheese has a strong odor.' (in a UK textbook)
The cheese has a strong odour.
Taiwan learners are often taught American spelling; in British contexts use 'odour'.
I smelled an odour of coffee from the kitchen.
I smelled coffee from the kitchen.
using 'smell' as both verb and noun sounds heavy; pick one.

2. a feeling or quality that surrounds a situation and that people sense without be

2.nounC2
Definition

a feeling or quality that surrounds a situation and that people sense without being told — for example, a hint of dishonesty around a business deal, or a mood of fear in a meeting room.

Example

There was an odour of scandal around the mayor's sudden resignation last spring.

an odour of + abstract noun (scandal)

The contract carried a faint odour of corruption that worried the new auditor.

an odour of + corruption / suspicion

Common collocations
  • an odour of scandal
  • an odour of suspicion
  • an odour of corruption
  • a faint odour of
Synonyms
  • air

    neutral; can be positive or negative

  • hint

    smaller and more tentative; 'odour' suggests something more noticeable

  • whiff

    informal; same negative figurative use ('a whiff of scandal')

Grammar Patterns

an odour of + abstract noun

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this figurative use is almost always negative (scandal, suspicion, corruption, fear, insincerity) and appears in writing rather than speech. Subject is usually a situation, statement, or institution rather than a physical object.

Common Mistakes

The festival had an odour of joy.
The festival had an air of joy.
figurative 'odour' carries a negative tone; use 'air' or 'atmosphere' for positive feelings.
Idioms

be in good/bad odour with someone

idiom

to be liked and trusted, or disliked and distrusted, by a particular person or group — usually someone in authority.

After missing two deadlines, Daniel was in bad odour with his manager for weeks.

The new researcher quickly came into good odour with the head of the department.

be in good/bad odour (with somebody)

idiom

To be liked or disliked by someone, especially in a social or professional situation.

After the argument, Maya was in bad odour with her boss.

Is Diego in good odour with the committee after his presentation?

Word family

  • odorous
    adjectiveC2
  • odourless
    adjectiveC2
  • malodorous
    adjectiveC2
  • deodorant
    nounB2
  • deodorize
    verbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These five words all describe what the nose detects, but their tone differs. 'Smell' is the everyday neutral word — it can be good, bad, or neither, and works in any register. 'Odour' is more formal and slightly clinical; writers often pick it when the smell is strong, lingering, or unpleasant, as in 'a stale odour'. 'Scent' usually points to something pleasant or distinctive — perfume, flowers, or an animal's trail. 'Aroma' almost always refers to a pleasant food or drink smell, like coffee or freshly baked bread. 'Stench', at the other extreme, is reserved for smells that are strong and disgusting, such as rotting fish. Compare: 'the aroma of espresso filled the café' (warm, pleasant) versus 'a faint odour of damp clothes hung in the hallway' (neutral-to-negative).

odour ↗smell ↗scent ↗stencharoma ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • body odour
  • food odour
  • odour of decay
  • odour of scandal

Phrases

  • give off an odour
  • mask an odour
  • in good/bad odour with

Prepositions

  • odour of
  • odour from

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Latin 'odor', meaning 'smell' or 'fragrance', which entered English in the 14th century through Old French 'odour'. The same Latin root produced related English words such as 'odorous' and 'malodorous'. British and Commonwealth English kept the '-our' spelling inherited from French, while American English dropped the 'u' to give 'odor', following Noah Webster's 19th-century spelling reforms.