perfume

 
Pronunciation: /ˈpəːfjuːm/

noun

[mass noun]
  • a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to give a pleasant smell to one’s body: I caught a whiff of her fresh lemony perfume [count noun]: musk-based perfumes
  • a pleasant smell: the heady perfume of lilacs

verb

Pronunciation: /also pəˈfjuːm/
[with object]
  • give a pleasant smell to: just one bloom of jasmine has the power to perfume a whole room
  • impregnate with perfume or a sweet-smelling substance: the cream is perfumed with rosemary and iris extracts
  • apply perfume to: her hair was oiled and perfumed

Derivatives

perfumy

adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century (originally denoting pleasant-smelling smoke from a burning substance, especially one used in fumigation): from French parfum (noun), parfumer (verb), from obsolete Italian parfumare, literally 'to smoke through'