Parosmia
/pəˈrɒz.mi.ə/noun
A disorder characterized by a distorted sense of smell.
Did you know?Parosmia can make familiar scents smell rotten or burning, revealing how deeply our memories are tied to our sense of smell.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
παράοσμος (paraosmos)
“An abnormal or altered smell.”
19th Century
English
parosmia
“Adopted into medical terminology to describe a specific olfactory disorder.”
Modern English
English
parosmia
“Used in contemporary discussions of neurological disorders affecting smell.”
20th Century
English
parosmia
“Expanded use in clinical contexts to denote diverse sensory distortions.”