Word of the Day

Friday March 19, 2010

olfactory [ol-FAK-tuh-ree; -tree; ohl-]

adjective

Of, pertaining to, or connected with, the sense of smell.

"If you're exposed to spice early on, you learn to like it more. This is a cultural phenomenon based on your experiences," Hirsch said. "Physiologically, our olfactory abilities vary.

Chris McNamara, "Picking a pepper?; Gender, ethnicity, culture affect our tolerance of chilies", Chicago Tribune, Mar 3, 2010
In some ways, they were on to something: The olfactory system, which detects and processes scents, links directly with the limbic system of the brain, which is involved in emotions and memory. This tight connection explains why you might suddenly feel a profound nostalgia when encountering a smell from your childhood, or why your stomach may turn when catching a whiff of an ex's signature fragrance. And the olfactory system, out of all the senses, is uniquely evolved to guide our behavior in matters of basic survival: finding food, choosing a mate, bonding with family, fleeing danger.

"Courtney Humphries, The sweet smell of morality; How scent can shape our thinking", Boston Globe, Feb 14, 2010
Soon after this sad accident, when we had taken in the long-boat, trimmed the sails, and were pursuing our way towards Cape Hatteras, the captain, with a solemn look, called me to the helm and went into the cabin, where he undoubtedly found consolation in the embrace of an intimate but treacherous friend. Indeed, on his return to the deck, a few minutes afterwards, I had olfactory demonstration that he and the brandy bottle had been in close communion!

John Sherburne Sleeper (1794-1878) An American sailor, novelist and journalist. Jack in the Forecastle (1860)

Origin of the Word

Olfactory, approximately 1658, derives from Latin olfactorius, from olfactus, past participle of olfacere "to get the smell of, sniff," from olere "give off a smell of" + facere "make."