The difference between Scent and Smell

When used as nouns, scent means a distinctive odour or smell, whereas smell means a sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.

When used as verbs, scent means to detect the scent of, whereas smell means to sense a smell or smells.


check bellow for the other definitions of Scent and Smell

  1. Scent as a noun:

    A distinctive odour or smell.

    Examples:

    "the scent of [[flower]]s"

    "the scent of a [[skunk]]"

  2. Scent as a noun:

    An odour left by an animal that may be used for tracing.

    Examples:

    "The dogs lost the scent."

  3. Scent as a noun:

    The sense of smell.

    Examples:

    "I believe the bloodhound has the best scent of all dogs."

  4. Scent as a noun:

    A perfume.

  5. Scent as a noun (figuratively):

    Any trail or trace that can be followed to find something or someone, such as the paper left behind in a paperchase.

  6. Scent as a noun (obsolete):

    Sense, perception.

  1. Scent as a verb:

    to detect the scent of

    Examples:

    "The hounds scented the fox in the woods."

  2. Scent as a verb:

    to impart an odour to

    Examples:

    "Scent the air with burning sage before you begin your meditation."

  3. Scent as a verb:

    To have a smell.

  4. Scent as a verb:

    To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.

  1. Smell as a noun:

    A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.

    Examples:

    "I love the smell of fresh bread."

  2. Smell as a noun (physiology):

    The sense that detects odours.

  1. Smell as a verb (transitive):

    To sense a smell or smells.

    Examples:

    "I can smell fresh bread."

    "'Smell the milk and tell me whether it's gone off."

  2. Smell as a verb (intransitive):

    To have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of".

    Examples:

    "The roses smell lovely."

    "Her feet smell of cheese."

    "The drunkard smelt like a brewery."

  3. Smell as a verb (intransitive, without a modifier):

    To smell bad; to stink.

    Examples:

    "Ew, this stuff smells."

  4. Smell as a verb (intransitive, figurative):

    To have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to savour.

    Examples:

    "A report smells of calumny."

  5. Smell as a verb (obsolete):

    To exercise sagacity.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Shakespeare"

  6. Smell as a verb:

    To detect or perceive; often with out.

  7. Smell as a verb (obsolete):

    To give heed to.