Odourants

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Compounds that generate a smell are utilized to add pleasantness or neutralize foul odors
2. Agents that produce scents can function to enhance sensory experiences or to eliminate undesirable smells
3. Materials that release a scent, often added to products to improve or alter their aroma

Etymology: "Odourants" is simply the plural of "odourant", a noun for a substance that gives off a scent. The singular is the more basic form, and the plural follows the usual English pattern of adding an "s" to a noun ending in a consonant sound. The root of "odourant" is the noun "odour", which comes into English from Old French "odor" and ultimately from Latin "odor", meaning smell or scent. The "-ant" ending, borrowed from Latin and French, marks a noun that performs an action, here giving off a smell, so an odourant is the thing doing the scenting.

Synonyms: scents, fragrances, smells

Antonyms: foulness, stench