Odorizing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of introducing a pleasant fragrance into various materials is known as enhancing their scent
2. It refers to the act of applying substances that produce a specific aroma to modify the smell of an object
3. The act of adding a particular fragrance to a material to give it a distinct smell

Etymology: The word is a participle of "odorize", which means to give something a smell. Its base, "odor", came into English from Latin "odor", a word for smell, and the suffix "-ize" traces back through Middle French "-iser" and Late Latin "-izare" to Ancient Greek "-izein", a verb-forming ending. English speakers combined the two to make a verb meaning to add a scent to something, so the word is a plain compound of an old Latin noun and a Greek-derived suffix rather than a single inherited term. The suffix does most of the work. "-ize" turns a noun into a verb meaning to make or provide with that noun, which is why "odorize" means to make something smell, and why "odorizing" describes the act of doing so. Most people know the suffix from words like "civilize" or "realize", and "odorize" follows the same pattern, applied here to the sense of smell.

Synonyms: fragrance, scenting, perfuming

Antonyms: deodorizing