noun · 2 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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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈpɛt.ɹɪ.kə
Received-Pronunciation:-ˌkɔː/
Canada, US:/ˈpɛt.ɹɪˌkɔɹ
Canada, US:-kɚ/
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The distinctive scent, caused by geosmin, which accompanies the first rain after a long, warm, dry spell.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The yellow organic oil that yields this scent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From petr(o)- + ichor. Coined by Australian scientist Richard Grenfell Thomas in 1964 for the article “Nature of Argillaceous Odour”, co-authored by Isabel Joy Bear and published in the journal Nature.
Across languages
Translations
20 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
petrichor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Arabic:
قَفْو
(qafw)
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Catalan:
petricor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Chinese Mandarin:
潮土油
(cháotǔyóu)
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Czech:
vůně deště
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Esperanto:
petriĥoro
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Finnish:
sateen tuoksu
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
French:
petrichor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
German:
Petrichor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Hebrew:
פטריכור
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Indonesian:
petrikor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Italian:
petricore
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Japanese:
ペトリコール
(petorikōru)
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Kapampangan:
alimum
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Macedonian:
пе́трикор
(pétrikor)
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Polish:
petrykora
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Portuguese:
petricor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Russian:
петрихо́р
(petrixór)
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Spanish:
petricor
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
Tagalog:
alimuom
— distinctive scent which accompanies rain
