Words / B2

OHD-uh/ˈəʊdə/

An odour is a smell, often one people notice or complain about (British spelling): an odour complaint; odourless. Smell is everyday; scent is often pleasant. Log the odour complaint as a health item. Mix-up: odious means hateful (already elsewhere); American odor. Do not write odour for a perfume review unless the source uses it.

Meaning

A smell, often one people notice or complain about (British spelling).

Examples

• “Log the odour complaint as a health item, not a joke in the minutes.”
• “A chemical odour voided the practical until the lab was cleared, which is the H&S sense.”

Good to know

an odour of; an odour complaint; odourless. Everyday: smell. US spelling: odor. Trap: odious. H&S and news. A noticed smell (UK -our).

Near in meaning

smell

New