Petrichor
/ˈpɛtrɪkɔːr/noun
The pleasant earthy smell that often follows rain falling on dry ground.
Did you know?The word was coined in 1964 by scientists using Greek roots for “stone” and the divine fluid of the gods, making one of nature’s most beloved scents sound eerily alchemical.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
petra + ichor
“πέτρα (petra), “stone,” plus ἰχώρ (ichor), the ethereal fluid said to flow in the veins of the gods”
1964
English
petrichor
“A newly coined term for the smell produced when rain falls on dry earth”
Late 20th Century
English
petrichor
“A scientific and poetic term for the scent of rain on dry soil”
Modern English
English
petrichor
“The characteristic earthy smell after rainfall”