Word of the Day - 03/02/26
petrichor
/ˈpɛtrɪˌkɔr/(n.): the pleasant smell after rain on dry earth
After the long dry spell, the petrichor from the afternoon shower was a welcome aroma.
Word Origin
The word 'petrichor' was coined in 1964 by Australian scientists Isabel Joy Bear and Richard G. Thomas for an article in the journal Nature. It is derived from two Ancient Greek words: 'petra' (πέτρα), meaning 'stone' or 'rock', and 'īchōr' (ἰχώρ), which in Greek mythology is the ethereal fluid that flows in the veins of the gods. The word describes the distinctive earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil or rocks.
Words sharing a similar origin with 'petra' include 'petroleum' (rock oil), 'petrify' (to turn into stone), and 'Peter' (a common name meaning 'rock'). The 'ichor' component is less common in English compound words but exists as 'ichor' itself, referring to the blood of the gods or a watery discharge.