petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr, pe-trahy-kawr]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a distinctive scent, usually described as earthy, pleasant, or sweet, produced by rainfall on very dry ground.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of petrichor¹

First recorded in 1960–65; petro- ¹ ( def. ) + ichor ( def. ) (in the classical mythology sense “ethereal fluid”)

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Like geosmin, the substance that gives earth its characteristic "earthy" odor, petrichor remains close to the ground.

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The earthy scent is called petrichor, from the Greek words petra, meaning "stone", and ichor, meaning "the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods".

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“Why is Black discourse always about precipitation,” they intone, “While ignoring the sweet scent of petrichor after rain.”

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Just two more days of heat are expected before residents of the Puget Sound region may get a chance to experience petrichor, one of our favorite olfactory treats.

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Coastal California's redwood forests—with their lush ferns, towering trees and damp petrichor scent—might not seem to want for water, but they do face dry summers.

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When To Use

�� does petrichor mean?

Petrichor is the smell caused by rainfall on very dry soil, as in I hate rain but I love the petrichor that results from it.Petrichor is often described as a pleasant or earthy scent. Because petrichor has a very specific meaning, you are only likely to see it used by people talking about the smells following a rainstorm. Similar to words like saudade and pulchritudinous, petrichor is often a favorite word of people with large vocabularies. When you use petrichor, be aware that not everyone will know what it means.Example: Every time it rains I get to enjoy the smell of petrichor.

petri-petri dish

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