# scent

> English word · Noun · IPA /sɛnt/ · frequency rank #9,396

## Definitions
1. A distinctive smell.
2. A smell left by an animal that may be used for tracing.
3. The sense of smell.
4. A substance (usually liquid) created to provide a pleasant smell.
5. Any trail or trace that can be followed to find something or someone, such as the paper left behind in a paperchase.
6. Sense, perception.

## Etymology
From Middle English sent (noun) and senten (verb), from Old French sentir (“to feel, perceive, smell, sense”), from Latin sentīre (“to feel, sense”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent- (“to feel”), and thus related to Saterland Frisian Sin (“sense”), West Frisian sin (“sense”), Dutch zin (“sense, meaning”), Low German Sinn (“sense”), Luxembourgish Sënn (“sense, perception”), German Sinn (“sense”). The -c- appeared in the 17th century, possibly by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science.

## Easily confused with
- **set** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-set)
- **sen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sen)
- **seen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-seen)
- **sent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sent)
- **send** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-send)
- **seat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-seat)
- **sept** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sept)
- **sect** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sect)
- **Scot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-scot)
- **Shen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-shen)
- **sens** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sens)
- **Sven** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sven)
- **spent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-spent)
- **spend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-spend)
- **sweet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sweet)
- **Scott** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-scott)
- **sheet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sheet)
- **slept** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-slept)
- **sweat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-sweat)
- **scout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scent-vs-scout)

## Common misspellings (8)
`csent`, `sccent`, `scennt`, `scentt`, `scetn`, `scnet`, `secnt`, `sscent`

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