# petrichor

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɛt.ɹɪ.kə

## Definitions
1. The distinctive scent, caused by geosmin, which accompanies the first rain after a long, warm, dry spell.
2. The yellow organic oil that yields this scent.

## Etymology
From petr(o)- + ichor.
Coined by Australian scientist Richard Grenfell Thomas in 1964 for the article “Nature of Argillaceous Odour”, co-authored by Isabel Joy Bear and published in the journal Nature.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/petrichor