petrichor
/ˈpɛtrɪkɔːr/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
πέτρα (petra) + ἰχώρ (ichōr) — stone + the ethereal fluid in the veins of the gods
Overview
Meaning Now
- The pleasant, earthy smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.
Literal older meaning
stone-ichor (blood of the stones)
Language path
Ancient Greek → English
Earliest form
petrichor
Earliest period
1964
Journey
The term was coined by Australian CSIRO researchers Isabel Bear and Richard Thomas in a 1964 paper. They identified that the scent comes from an oil exuded by certain plants during dry periods, which is absorbed by clay-based soils and rocks, and released into the air upon contact with moisture, often accompanied by geosmin.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
πέτρα (petra)
“stone/rock”
- Ancient Greek
ἰχώρ (ichōr)
“the blood of the gods”
- 1964 Modern English
petrichor
“the scent of rain on dry ground”
Coined to describe the phenomenon identified by researchers.
Connections
Word parts
petri-
root
stone
-chor
root
ichor/fluid
Related across languages
Ancient Greek
πέτρος (petros)
stone
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Related to petrichor
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.