Pronunciation: [ˈə͡ʊdə] (IPA) 
The word "odor" is spelled with the letter "o" in the first syllable, which is pronounced as the vowel sound /ɒ/ (as in "hot"). The second syllable is spelled with the letters "dor," which are pronounced as the consonant sound /d/ followed by the vowel sound /ɔː/ (as in "law"). The IPA phonetic transcription for "odor" is /ˈəʊdə(r)/. This word refers to a particular smell or scent that is often unpleasant.
The term "odor" refers to a distinctive and often detectable smell or the quality of emitting a specific scent. It is a noun that describes the perceived smell of a substance or a characteristic fragrance associated with a particular object or situation. Odors can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, and they can vary in intensity, strength, and duration.
An odor can be caused by the presence of volatile compounds that are released into the air or water. These compounds are typically detected by the olfactory organs in humans and animals, enabling them to distinguish different smells and make associations with various experiences or memories. The perception of odor is highly subjective, as individuals may have different sensitivities, preferences, or cultural associations with specific scents.
Odors can originate from a variety of sources such as food, body secretions, chemicals, plants, flowers, animals, gases, or decomposition processes. Some odors serve as essential warning signs, indicating the presence of a danger or potential harmful substances, while others may evoke emotional responses, trigger cravings, or create a pleasant atmosphere.
The study of odors and their impact on humans is known as olfaction or odor perception, an interdisciplinary field that encompasses biology, chemistry, psychology, and environmental science. Scientists and professionals in various industries, including perfumery, food and beverage, consumer goods, and environmental health, often strive to create or control odors to achieve specific purposes, such as enhancing products, ensuring safety, or maintaining hygiene standards.
An emanation from any substance which stimulates the nerve-endings in the organ of smell; scent.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "odor" comes from the Latin word "odor", which means "smell" or "odor". It has its roots in the Latin verb "odorare", meaning "to smell" or "to give off a scent". The Latin term eventually made its way into Old French as "odor" and then entered English as "odor" in the 14th century.
