Standard Lemma guide

odorous

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: OW1 D ER0 AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having a distinctive odor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The table was piled with odorous lilies.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

having odor or a characteristic odor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • odorous jasmine flowers
  • odorous garbage
  • fresh odorous bread

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: odorless

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

having a natural fragrance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • odoriferous spices
  • the odorous air of the orchard
  • the perfumed air of June
  • scented flowers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: odoriferous, perfumed, scented, sweet, sweet-scented, sweet-smelling

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

emitting an odor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • odorous salt pork and weevily hardtack

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: odoriferous

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English odorous, from Medieval Latin odōrōsus, equivalent to odor + -ous.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ароматен (aromaten) — having distinctive odour
  • Catalan: flairós — having distinctive odour
  • Catalan: olorós — having distinctive odour
  • Chinese Mandarin: 芬芳的 (fēnfāngde) — having distinctive odour
  • Chinese Mandarin: 臭的 (chòude) — having distinctive odour
  • Czech: aromatický — having distinctive odour
  • Czech: voňavý — having distinctive odour
  • Czech: vonný — having distinctive odour
  • Czech: smradlavý — having distinctive odour
  • Finnish: tuoksuva — having distinctive odour
  • French: odorant — having distinctive odour
  • Georgian: სურნელოვანი (surnelovani) — having distinctive odour
  • Georgian: სუნიანი (suniani) — having distinctive odour
  • German: riechend — having distinctive odour
  • Ido: odoroza — having distinctive odour
  • Italian: odoroso — having distinctive odour
  • Māori: monomono — having distinctive odour
  • Māori: kakara — having distinctive odour
  • Romanian: mirositor — having distinctive odour
  • Romanian: odorant — having distinctive odour
  • Romanian: odorifer — having distinctive odour
  • Russian: паху́чий (paxúčij) — having distinctive odour
  • Russian: души́стый (dušístyj) — having distinctive odour
  • Spanish: odorífero — having distinctive odour
  • Turkish: kokulu — having distinctive odour