Odor vs. Odour

Odor

An odor, or odour, is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds that are generally found in low concentrations that humans and animals can perceive by their sense of smell. An odor is also called a “smell” or a “scent”, which can refer to either a pleasant or an unpleasant odor.

While “scent” can refer to pleasant and unpleasant odors, the terms “scent”, “aroma”, and “fragrance” are usually reserved for pleasant-smelling odors and are frequently used in the food and cosmetic industry to describe floral scents or to refer to perfumes.

In the United Kingdom, “odour” refers to scents in general; but in the United States, and for many non-native English speakers around the world, “odor” generally has a negative connotation as a synonym for “stink”. An unpleasant odor can also be described as “reeking” or called a “malodor”, “stench”, “pong”, or “stink”.

Odour (noun)

a distinctive smell, especially an unpleasant one

“the odour of cigarette smoke”

Odour (noun)

a lingering quality or impression attaching to something

“an odour of suspicion”

Odour (noun)

the state of being held in a specified regard

“a decade of bad odour between Britain and the European Community”