Have you ever gone outside after a rain storm and smelled the air? Did you know there is a word for that scent? Read about it here!
Petrichor (noun)
[pet·ri·chor] /ˈpeˌtrīkôr/
Definition: A pleasant, distinctive smell accompanying the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather; the scent created when rain falls on dry ground.
Example sentence: Other than the petrichor coming from the quickly drying grass, there wasn’t any sign that it had rained at all.
History: The word “petrichor” was first used in 1964. It was used in an article written by British and Australian scientists. The word is derived from the Greek word “petra,” meaning “stone” and “ichor,” which is the blood of the gods in Greek mythology. From Greek, the word roughly translates to “stone-essence.” Today, it is a unique word used to describe the lovely smell of rain on the ground.
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
—
*Vocabulary tip: when looking for the meaning of a word, use a student’s dictionary, not a translator. Try Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary: www.learnersdictionary.com
Want to learn English in the USA? Visit ECLA today!