Deodorising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The practice of transforming an area by removing offensive smells to create a more pleasant atmosphere
2. The process of eliminating bad smells to improve air quality
3. Acting to counteract or absorb foul odors for a fresher environment

Etymology: "Deodorising" is the present participle of "deodorise", and the verb is a plain formation: the prefix "de-", meaning "remove" or "reverse", attached to "odor" (the Latin-derived English noun for smell), with the verb ending "-ise". Put together, the sense is literally "to take the smell away." The interesting part is the prefix. "De-" is a productive way of building verbs meaning removal, as in "defrost" or "delouse", and "deodorise" follows that pattern exactly. The verb's core is the noun "odor", which English took from Latin "odor", meaning smell. So the word describes a process of removing a smell rather than covering it up, which is why the modern sense centres on counteracting or absorbing odours rather than simply masking them.

Synonyms: fragrant, scented, freshening, purifying, cleansing

Antonyms: malodorous, stinking, foul, rank, smelly