Perfume

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: per=fume

CIDE DICTIONARY

Perfume, v. t. [F. parfumer (cf. Sp. perfumar); par (see Par) + fumer to smoke, L. fumare, fr. fumus smoke. See Fume.].

 To fill or impregnate with a perfume; to scent.  [1913 Webster]
"And Carmel's flowery top perfumes the skies."  [1913 Webster]

Perfume, n. [F. parfum; cf. Sp. perfume. See Perfume, v.].

•  The scent, odor, or odoriferous particles emitted from a sweet-smelling substance; a pleasant odor; fragrance; aroma.  [1913 Webster]

  "No rich perfumes refresh the fruitful field."  [1913 Webster]
•  A substance that emits an agreeable odor.  [1913 Webster]

  "And thou shalt make it a perfume."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Perfume, n. & v.
--n.
1 a sweet smell.
2 fluid containing the essence of flowers etc.; scent.
--v.tr. also (usu. as perfumed adj.) impart a sweet scent to; impregnate with a sweet smell.

Derivative

perfumy adj.

Etymology

F parfum, parfumer f. obs. It. parfumare, perfumare (as PER-, fumare smoke, FUME): orig. of smoke from a burning substance

THESAURUS

Perfume

aerate, aerify, ambergris, ambrosia, aroma, aromatic, aromatic gum, aromatic water, aromatize, atomize, attar, attar of roses, balm, balm of Gilead, balminess, balsam, bay oil, bergamot oil, bouquet, carbonate, cense, champaca oil, chlorinate, civet, distill, embalm, emit, essence, essential oil, etherify, etherize, evaporate, exhale, extract, fixative, fluidize, fractionate, fragrance, fragrancy, fruitiness, fume, fumigate, gasify, give off, heliotrope, hydrogenate, incense, jasmine oil, lavender oil, musk, muskiness, myrcia oil, myrrh, nose, nosegay, odor, odorize, oxygenate, parfum, perfumery, redolence, reek, rose oil, scent, send out, smell, smoke, spice, spiciness, spray, steam, sublimate, sublime, sweet savor, sweet smell, thurify, toilet water, vaporize, volatile oil, volatilize

ROGET THESAURUS

Perfume

Fragrance

N fragrance, aroma, redolence, perfume, bouquet, essence, scent, sweet smell, aromatic perfume, agalloch, agallochium, aloes wood, bay rum, calambac, calambour, champak, horehound, lign-aloes, marrubium, mint, muskrat, napha water, olibanum, spirit of myrcia, essential oil, incense, musk, frankincense, pastil, pastille, myrrh, perfumes of Arabia, otto, ottar, attar, bergamot, balm, civet, potpourri, pulvil, nosegay, scentbag, sachet, smelling bottle, vinaigrette, eau de Cologne, toilet water, lotion, after-shave lotion, thurification, perfumer, eucalyptus oil, pinene, fragrant, aromatic, redolent, spicy, savory, balmy, scented, sweet-smelling, sweet-scented, perfumed, perfumatory, thuriferous, fragrant as a rose, muscadine, ambrosial.

VB be fragrant, have a perfume, smell sweet, scent, perfume, embalm.