/
ˈpəːfjuːm/
n.
- a fragrant liquid typically made from essential oils, used to impart a pleasant smell to one's body or clothes.
- a pleasant smell.
v.
/also
pəˈfjuːm/
- impart a pleasant smell to.
- impregnate with perfume or a sweet-smelling ingredient.
▸apply perfume to.
Derivative
- perfumed adj.
- perfumy adj.
Etymology
C16 (orig. denoting pleasant-smelling smoke from a substance used in fumigation): from Fr. parfum (n.), parfumer (v.), from obs. Ital. parfumare, lit. ‘to smoke through’.