perfume
UK /ˈpɜːfjuːm/ · US /ˈpɝfjuːm/ noun, verb
Forms perfumes perfuming perfumed
- noun A pleasant smell; the scent, odor, or odoriferous particles emitted from a sweet-smelling substance; a pleasant odor.
- noun (perfumery) A substance created to provide a pleasant smell or one which emits an agreeable odor. “She bought a perfume at the airport.”
- verb (transitive) To apply perfume to; to fill or impregnate with a perfume; to scent.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French parfum, perfum. Doublet of parfum.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To fill or impregnate with a perfume; to scent.
- noun The scent, odor, or odoriferous particles emitted from a sweet-smelling substance; a pleasant odor; fragrance; aroma.
- noun A substance that emits an agreeable odor.
Etymology [F. parfumer (cf. Sp. perfumar); par (see Par) + fumer to smoke, L. fumare, fr. fumus smoke. See Fume.]
Etymology [F. parfum; cf. Sp. perfume. See Perfume, v.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “perfume”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details