aroma
Americannoun
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aromas
plural
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an odor arising from spices, plants, cooking, etc., especially an agreeable odor; fragrance.
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(of wines and spirits) the odor or bouquet.
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a pervasive characteristic or quality.
noun
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a distinctive usually pleasant smell, esp of spices, wines, and plants
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a subtle pervasive quality or atmosphere
Synonym Usage
See perfume.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of aroma
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin, from Greek: “spice”; replacing Middle English aromat, from Old French, from Latin arōmat- (stem of arōma )
Explanation
Aroma is the word for a fragrant scent, one that pleases the nose in a way that makes you lick your lips. Unlike its foul-smelling cousin the odor, an aroma smells but never stinks. Want to know what aromas smell like? Brew a fresh pot of coffee, grill some onions, and fry up a few strips of bacon. Aromas make you drool. You can also use the word to describe things that don't literally smell, yet somehow seem to linger smell-like in the air, like the oppressive aroma of a brutal dictatorship.
Vocabulary lists containing aroma
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)
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Smell Words
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Words for Cheese Writers
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Its taste and aroma are royal. The apricot is a wonder of wonders."
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Researchers observed changes in polyphenols, catechins, and volatile compounds that contribute to flavor and aroma.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
Pedestrians crossing the bridge pass through a fabricated interior, a cavern-like space printed in 3D realism and enhanced with a specially designed scent to evoke the dank, earthy aroma of humankind’s early habitations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
The pies are, mostly, worth it: bubbling cheese, fine aroma of basil or oregano, oven-darkened yeasty crusts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
As we moved on, I could smell the aroma of hot food coming from the lunch counter.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Sodha says that limiting each plant to 750ml of water a day produces "rich, highly concentrated sugars and aromas instead of water-logged, bland fruits".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
The team found higher levels of compounds associated with floral and fruity aromas, including linalool and 2-phenylethanol.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
These systems detect and distinguish aromas, sometimes with about 1,000 times as much precision as humans can.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
From coastal Jableh, her paternal family’s home, she recalls the aromas of “flavored hookah smoke, nuts toasting on carts, and boiled sweet corn.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
The king eagerly lifted off its lid and rich, warm aromas floated in the air, making Minli’s stomach grumble.
From "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" by Grace Lin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
