Perfuming

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of enriching an object or environment with appealing fragrances involves the application of scented substances to enhance aroma and create a pleasant atmosphere
2. The process of adding a pleasant scent to something by using aromatic substances
3. Enhancing the smell of a space or item with fragrant oils or sprays

Etymology: The verb "perfuming" is simply the present participle of "perfume" as a verb, meaning to fill something with a pleasant scent. Its base is the noun, which entered English from Middle French "parfum," a word that once meant smoke given off by burning aromatic substances. The Latin root behind it, "per" plus "fumare" (to smoke), describes the original act: fragrance was first a vapour rising from incense or spices, not a liquid in a bottle. That origin explains the meaning shift that matters here. Smoke was the carrier of the scent, so to perfume something was to expose it to that rising fragrance. Over time the sense moved from the smoke itself to the pleasant odour, and then to the act of applying that odour to a surface or object, which is the sense "perfuming" carries today.

Synonyms: scenting, fragrancing