Fragrant
adjective /ˈfreɪɡrənt/ — Having a pleasant smell — sweet, delicate, and filling the air with something worth breathing.
Definition
Having a pleasant or sweet smell; pleasantly scented; (sometimes ironic) leaving a memorable impression.
Beyond the definition
Fragrant is the optimistic word for scent — it belongs to flowers and morning air and things that please. It's the contrast word to pungent: where pungent demands recognition, fragrant invites it.
Origin & history
From Latin fragrans — smelling sweet (from fragrare: to smell sweet). The sweet smell — the scent that travels toward you pleasantly.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The garden was fragrant in the evening — jasmine, warm earth, and something she couldn't name.
The letter arrived fragrant with her mother's particular perfume, which was not something that could be undone.
Fragrant memories are the ones that arrive complete — with sound and light and the temperature of the room.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Fragrant” when the meaning fits your context: Having a pleasant or sweet smell; pleasantly scented; (sometimes ironic) leaving a memorable impression.
Synonyms
Antonyms
fetid, malodorous, odorless, rank
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Aromatic Herb Garden Walk
An adult brushes their hand through an herb garden, releasing scents into the air as they walk along a warm path.
The act of brushing the herbs highlights the release of a pleasant scent, visualizing the fragrant nature of the garden. The scene emphasizes how physical interaction with the foliage connects the person to the aromatic and sensory qualities of the plants.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Fragrant" mean?
Fragrant is adjective meaning: Having a pleasant smell — sweet, delicate, and filling the air with something worth breathing.. Having a pleasant or sweet smell; pleasantly scented; (sometimes ironic) leaving a memorable impression.
Where does the word "Fragrant" come from?
From Latin fragrans — smelling sweet (from fragrare: to smell sweet). The sweet smell — the scent that travels toward you pleasantly.