olfaction

noun

ol·​fac·​tion äl-ˈfak-shən  ōl- 

1

: the sense of smell

2

: the act or process of smelling

Examples of olfaction in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Prior studies have also looked at the relationship between olfaction and breathing––but many of these have only been conducted in animals or in people who lost their smell because of viral infections or other more common causes of anosmia. —Hannah Docter-Loeb, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2024

Smell is strongly tied to emotion and memory, Valentina Parma, PhD, a psychologist who studies human olfaction (the sense of smell) and the assistant director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, tells SELF. —Lauren Mazzo, SELF, 8 Oct. 2024

Fly olfaction can also inform the next generation of tracking devices designed to find the source of an indoor chemical leak. —Lizette Ortega, Washington Post, 28 July 2024

Still, Barran was personally acquainted with the oddities of olfaction. —Scott Sayare Robert Petkoff Anna Diamond Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 14 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

olfaction

noun

ol·​fac·​tion äl-ˈfak-shən 

ōl-

: the sense of smell

also : the act or process of smelling

Medical Definition

olfaction

noun

ol·​fac·​tion äl-ˈfak-shən  ōl- 

1

: the sense of smell

2

: the act or process of smelling