odour
Definitions
A smell, whether pleasant or unpleasant (British spelling of 'odor').
气味（可指香味或臭味；odor 的英式拼写）。
A faint suggestion or trace of a (usually bad) quality.
（比喻）一丝意味、味道（通常指不好的）。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedodour is simply the British spelling of odor (Latin odor, 'a smell'). Like the American form, it is neutral — a smell that can be sweet or foul depending on context — and it carries the same figurative use: 'an odour of suspicion' means a faint trace of something wrong.
Root odor still carries 4 more wordsUsage Guide
- British vs American: odour (UK) / odor (US) are the same word; choose by audience. The adjectives also split: odourless (UK) / odorless (US).
- Neutral, not negative: by itself odour just means 'smell' — pleasant or not. To force the bad sense, say 'a foul odour' or 'an unpleasant odour.'
- Figurative: 'an odour of scandal/suspicion' — a lingering hint of something improper.
Example Sentences
- 1.
A faint odour of coffee drifted out of the little café.
- 2.
The drains gave off a foul odour after the heavy rain.
- 3.
There was an unmistakable odour of suspicion hanging over the deal.