Aroma
/əˈroʊ.mə/noun
A distinctive, usually pleasant smell.
Did you know?The word entered English through Latin and Greek, where it originally referred to a spice or seasoning, showing how fragrance and flavor were once treated as closely linked forms of power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ar-
“to fit together, join”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄρωμα (arōma)
“a seasoning, spice, or sweet herb”
Late Latin
Latin
aroma
“spice, seasoning, fragrant substance”
Old French
Old French
arome
“spice, perfume”
16th Century
English
arome
“a fragrant spice or perfume”
Modern English
English
aroma
“a distinctive smell, especially a pleasant one”