perfume
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
perfume /ˈpəːfjuːm/
▶noun
- 1 a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes.
- 2 a pleasant smell.
- 1 impart a pleasant smell to.
- 2 impregnate with perfume or a sweet-smelling ingredient.
■ apply perfume to.
– derivatives
perfumed adjective,
perfumy adjective.
perfumed adjective,
perfumy adjective.
– origin C16 (orig. denoting pleasant-smelling smoke from a substance used in fumigation): from Fr. parfum (n.), parfumer (v.), from obs. Ital. parfumare, lit. ‘to smoke through’.
'perfume' also found in these Oxford entries:
aloe
- ambergris
- attar
- bath salts
- bay rum
- boronia
- bouquet
- Cape jasmine
- cense
- chypre
- citronella
- civet
- dab
- eau de toilette
- essential oil
- fragrance
- frangipane
- frangipani
- fumigate
- grape hyacinth
- herb
- incense
- lavender water
- liquidambar
- parfumerie
- pastille
- pomander
- potpourri
- pouncet-box
- sandalwood
- scent
- smelling bottle
- smelling salts
- toilet water
