What does olfactory mean?
Olfactory describes anything connected with the sense of smell, especially the specialized structures that allow people and animals to detect odors. In scientific and medical contexts, the adjective appears in terms such as olfactory nerve, olfactory bulb, and olfactory receptors. These structures form part of the sensory system responsible for identifying airborne chemical compounds, many of which act as odorants. The word is useful because it distinguishes the scientific process of smell from ordinary descriptions of an odor: an olfactory receptor detects chemical signals, while an olfactory nerve transmits information connected with that detection. Although the word is strongly associated with anatomy, biology, and medicine, it can also be used more broadly when discussing taste, animal behavior, food, or the effects of pollution on the sense of smell.
Relating to the sense of smell or to the organs and nerves involved in detecting odors.
"The olfactory cortex helps the brain interpret signals from the nose."
Common in scientific, anatomical, and medical writing.
The olfactory nerve, a nerve associated with the sense of smell.
"The injury affected the olfactory and impaired the patient's sense of smell."
Usually used in anatomical or medical contexts; this noun sense is less common than the adjective.
Unlike most sensory signals, olfactory information can reach the brain without first passing through the thalamus, the brain's usual relay station.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does olfactory come from?
Olfactory comes from Latin olfactorius, meaning 'of or relating to smell' and ultimately connected with olfacere, 'to smell.' The English word entered use in the early 17th century in a scientific context. Its relatives include olfaction, a noun for the sense of smell, and odor, which comes from the same broad Latin etymological family.
Related word forms
How olfactory is actually used
Olfactory is formal and technical, though it is also widely used in general scientific writing. It is not normally used as a general word meaning 'smelly'; for that meaning, odoriferous or smelly may be more appropriate.
Easily confused with olfactory
Both words relate to smell, but olfactory is the more common formal term, especially in anatomy and scientific contexts.