odore Italian · revision 38540

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=13th century, Lotto Pisano|origins=ine-pro *h₃ed-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /oˈdo.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''odore''' ''m'' (plural odori)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|odor|t=smell, scent; stench]], from the accusative “odōrem”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Nocentini counts it as a learned borrowing, while [[es|olor]] continues the spoken variant [[la|olor]] directly;^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary calls “odore” a doublet of [[olore]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary) The same word is [[fr|odeur]] and [[pro|odor]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ Latin “odor” goes back to an older “odōs”, with the change of /s/ to /r/ between vowels, and to [[itc-pro|*odōs]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It belongs to the root [[ine-pro|*h₃ed-|t=to smell]], as do [[grc|ὄζω|tr=ózō|t=to smell]], [[grc|ὀδμή|tr=odmḗ|t=odour]], [[xcl|հոտ|tr=hot|t=smell]] and [[lt|uosti|t=to smell]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Nocentini 2010) The verb [[la|oleō|t=to smell]] is from the same root, with /d/ turned into /l/, and gave Italian [[olire]] and [[olezzare]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Devoto 1968)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is figurative, “hint, inkling”, in Lotto Pisano (13th century); the literal sense, an emanation perceived by smell, is in Dante's ''Purgatorio'' (1313–1319): “Chi crederebbe che l'odor d'un pomo / sì governasse…” (“who would believe that the smell of an apple could so govern…”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Boccaccio uses ''odore'' for a scented substance (1348–1353), a sense now literary, as in ''acqua d'odore'' “perfume”.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010) In the plural, ''odori'' are the herbs used in cooking, such as parsley, basil and sage, recorded from 1768.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The phrase ''morire in odore di santità'', to die with a reputation for holiness, comes from the belief that the bodies of saints give off a sweet smell when they die;^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''in odore di'' now also means “suspected of” or “close to”.^(DELI 1999)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ Derivatives include ''odorare'' (before 1250), ''odorato'' “sense of smell” (before 1292), ''odoroso'' (Boccaccio) and ''odorino'' (1615); ''inodore'' “odourless” is from 1856 and ''deodorante'' from the early 20th century.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – Lotto Pisano uses ''odore'' figuratively.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1250 – ''Odorare'' “to give off a smell” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1292 – Bono Giamboni has ''odorato''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses ''odore'' for a smell.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses it for a scented substance.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1768 – The plural ''odori'' names cooking herbs.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1856 – ''Inodore'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|smell]], [[m|en|odour]]: the sensation perceived by the sense of smell, or what a substance gives off: ''In cucina c'era odore di caffè.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(euphemistic)'' A bad smell: ''Che odore! Apri la finestra.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(literary)'' A scented substance, [[m|en|perfume]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # In the plural, cooking [[m|en|herb|alt=herbs]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A hint, a sign: ''Sento odore di guai.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[odorare]]

+ * [[odorato]]

+ * [[odoroso]]

+ * [[odorino]]

+ * [[odorifero]]

+ * [[inodore]]

+ * [[deodorante]]

+ * [[subodorare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[odorabile]]

+ * [[odorante]]

+ * [[olore]]

+ * [[olezzare]]

+ * [[olire]]

+ * [[ozono]]

+ * [[la|odor]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''In odore di santità'' means “with a reputation for holiness”, and ''in odore di'' alone “suspected of” or “in line for” (''in odore di promozione'').^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}