odorous applies to whatever has a strong distinctive smell whether pleasant or unpleasant.
odorous cheeses should be tightly wrapped
fragrant applies to things (such as flowers or spices) with sweet or agreeable odors.
a fragrant rose
redolent applies usually to a place or thing impregnated with odors.
the kitchen was redolent of garlic and tomatoes
aromatic applies to things emitting pungent often fresh odors.
an aromatic blend of tobaccos
Examples of fragrant in a Sentence
The soup was fragrant with herbs and spices.
the balsam fir is a favorite as a Christmas tree because it is so fragrant
Recent Examples on the WebEnglish lavender is a perennial that keeps its fragrant foliage year-round in many growing zones and flowers each spring.—Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 Investigators led each suspect past fragrant lengths of sawn wood to the interview room, an employee break area.—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 Rooms are supplied with fragrant cypress bathtubs, bamboo handicrafts, and traditional Japanese fabric art.—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2024 One of the main ingredients used in Ethiopian food is a fragrant red spice called berbere which consists of chili, ginger, fenugreek, coriander, and cinnamon.—Belle Bakst, Allure, 12 Mar. 2024 Spoil The Chef The cook of the family would be thrilled to get this Easter basket filled with fragrant ingredients.—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2024 Toast over low heat, stirring continuously, for 1 minute or until the spice mix becomes fragrant.
4.—Emily Weinstein, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 From the crispy seafood pastillas to classic couscous and fragrant tagines, this is the place to fill up on traditional Moroccan dishes.—Nicola Chilton, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024 Or grill the squash and top it with crunchy pistachios and fragrant mint.—Julia Turshen, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fragrant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin fragrant-, fragrans, from present participle of fragrare to be fragrant
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