Perfume
/ˈpɜːr.fjuːm/noun
A fragrant substance or scent used to smell pleasant.
Did you know?Perfume comes from Latin per fumum, meaning “through smoke,” because the earliest sacred fragrances were burned as offerings in temples and rituals.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
per fumum
“through smoke”
Late Latin
Latin
perfūmāre
“to smoke through, perfume”
Old French
Old French
parfum
“a sweet smell, fragrance”
Middle English
English
perfume
“a fragrant substance or odor”
Modern English
English
perfume
“a fragrant liquid or scent used to smell pleasant”