Aroma

How to spell aroma

5 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce aroma

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does aroma mean?

1. nounA distinctive, usually pleasant smell, especially one given off by food, drink, or spices.

Aroma in a sentence

• The aroma of fresh coffee filled the kitchen every morning.

• A rich aroma rose from the pot as the stew simmered.

Where does aroma come from?

Language of origin: Greek

The word comes from the ancient Greek aroma, which literally meant a spice or a sweet-smelling herb rather than a smell in the abstract. Latin borrowed it unchanged as aroma, keeping the same sense of fragrant plant matter used in cooking and medicine. It entered English in the Middle Ages, when 'aromas' were the actual spices and herbs prized for their scent, and only later did the meaning shift from the substance to the pleasant fragrance the substance gives off. By the early modern period writers were using it for any agreeable smell, especially of food, wine, or coffee. The single r and single m of the spelling reflect the original Greek form faithfully, which is worth remembering since the natural temptation is to double one of those letters.

How the word is built

• arom- (from Greek aroma: spice, sweet herb)
• -a (noun ending carried over from Greek/Latin)