First recorded in 1960–65.
Comes from petro-, a combining form meaning \"rock,\" and ichor, which in classical mythology means “ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods.”
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF PETRICHOR\r\n

The desert landscape was quickly transformed as petrichor filled the air after a long-awaited rainstorm.
As the storm passed, leaving behind puddles and damp earth, the sweet petrichor lingered like a fond memory.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/NEW2016/petrichor_000.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"noun","data":"a distinctive scent, usually described as earthy, pleasant, or sweet, produced by rainfall on very dry ground."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/petrichor_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"_gkgHYcRWXIOKz5ZnUwRY","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"taqiyah","entry":"taqiyah"},{"slug":"taqlid","entry":"taqlid"},{"slug":"taqueria","entry":"taqueria"},{"slug":"tar","entry":"tar"},{"slug":"tara","entry":"Tara"}],"after":[{"slug":"tarabulus-el-gharb","entry":"Tarabulus el Gharb"},{"slug":"tarabulus-esh-sham","entry":"Tarabulus esh Sham"},{"slug":"taradiddle","entry":"taradiddle"},{"slug":"tarahumara","entry":"Tarahumara"},{"slug":"tarai","entry":"Tarai"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Taraba"},"requestId":"2UZPTV4ClsIcmTmPtocsk","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Taraba"},"requestId":"gB6p5Tm4pzQYR8kW8pR_V","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"Taraba","slug":"taraba"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a state of Nigeria, in the E. Capital: Jalingo. Pop: 2\\u00a0300\\u00a0736 (2006). Area: 54\\u00a0473 sq km (21\\u00a0032 sq miles)\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[{"ipa":"ˈtaːrəbə"}],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"taraba"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"taraba"},"requestId":"YZhaXxoUaUfSCZoxfksKX","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"taraba","displayForm":"Taraba","canonicalSlug":"taraba","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"ae071e592.6bfb.1014.b87b.c2803370a23a.1","type":"normal","entry":"Taraba","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":"(ˈtaːrəbə)"},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","definition":"a state of Nigeria, in the E. Capital: Jalingo. Pop: 2 300 736 (2006). Area: 54 473 sq km (21 032 sq miles)","postdefinitionContent":""}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":153611,"index-rank-01":["taraba"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Taraba"},"requestId":"oOxotJJCmRBYCclcRUXz2","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["Taraba","Tarawa","tarata","trabs","Arabia","Tara","tara","Arab","Paraíba","Tarrasa","Tirana","carabao","drab","taramea","Tarai","Arab.","Araby","Aruba","Taraz","trama","dorab","trib.","tribe","Kariba","Tarija","marabi","zareba","ta-ra","tra-la","tribo-","tar baby"],"tuna":["drab","tribe","tab","drabs","tribal","tares","toran","trauma","tabu","tare","taro","tray","crab","grab","tram","trap","drub","tabby","tarry","terra","turbo","drama","throb","trace","track","trade","trail","train","trait","trash","trawl","tbar","tariff","tarred","tirade","triable","T-bar","rabbi","t bar","taboo","teary","tibia","rib","rob","rub","try"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"Taraba","slug":"taraba"},{"displayForm":"Tarawa","slug":"tarawa"},{"displayForm":"tarata","slug":"tarata"},{"displayForm":"trabs","slug":"trabs"},{"displayForm":"Arabia","slug":"arabia"},{"displayForm":"Tara","slug":"tara"},{"displayForm":"tara","slug":"tara"},{"displayForm":"Arab","slug":"arab"},{"displayForm":"Paraíba","slug":"paraiba"},{"displayForm":"Tarrasa","slug":"tarrasa"},{"displayForm":"Tirana","slug":"tirana"},{"displayForm":"carabao","slug":"carabao"},{"displayForm":"drab","slug":"drab"},{"displayForm":"taramea","slug":"taramea"},{"displayForm":"Tarai","slug":"tarai"},{"displayForm":"Arab.","slug":"arab"},{"displayForm":"Araby","slug":"araby"},{"displayForm":"Aruba","slug":"aruba"},{"displayForm":"Taraz","slug":"taraz"},{"displayForm":"trama","slug":"trama"},{"displayForm":"dorab","slug":"dorab"},{"displayForm":"trib.","slug":"trib"},{"displayForm":"tribe","slug":"tribe"},{"displayForm":"Kariba","slug":"kariba"},{"displayForm":"Tarija","slug":"tarija"},{"displayForm":"marabi","slug":"marabi"},{"displayForm":"zareba","slug":"zareba"},{"displayForm":"ta-ra","slug":"tara"},{"displayForm":"tra-la","slug":"tra-la"},{"displayForm":"tribo-","slug":"tribo-"},{"displayForm":"tar baby","slug":"tar-baby"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"drab","slug":"drab"},{"displayForm":"tribe","slug":"tribe"},{"displayForm":"tab","slug":"tab"},{"displayForm":"drabs","slug":"drabs"},{"displayForm":"tribal","slug":"tribal"},{"displayForm":"tares","slug":"tares"},{"displayForm":"toran","slug":"toran"},{"displayForm":"trauma","slug":"trauma"},{"displayForm":"tabu","slug":"tabu"},{"displayForm":"tare","slug":"tare"},{"displayForm":"taro","slug":"taro"},{"displayForm":"tray","slug":"tray"},{"displayForm":"crab","slug":"crab"},{"displayForm":"grab","slug":"grab"},{"displayForm":"tram","slug":"tram"},{"displayForm":"trap","slug":"trap"},{"displayForm":"drub","slug":"drub"},{"displayForm":"tabby","slug":"tabby"},{"displayForm":"tarry","slug":"tarry"},{"displayForm":"terra","slug":"terra"},{"displayForm":"turbo","slug":"turbo"},{"displayForm":"drama","slug":"drama"},{"displayForm":"throb","slug":"throb"},{"displayForm":"trace","slug":"trace"},{"displayForm":"track","slug":"track"},{"displayForm":"trade","slug":"trade"},{"displayForm":"trail","slug":"trail"},{"displayForm":"train","slug":"train"},{"displayForm":"trait","slug":"trait"},{"displayForm":"trash","slug":"trash"},{"displayForm":"trawl","slug":"trawl"},{"displayForm":"tbar","slug":"tbar"},{"displayForm":"tariff","slug":"tariff"},{"displayForm":"tarred","slug":"tarred"},{"displayForm":"tirade","slug":"tirade"},{"displayForm":"triable","slug":"triable"},{"displayForm":"T-bar","slug":"t-bar"},{"displayForm":"rabbi","slug":"rabbi"},{"displayForm":"t bar","slug":"t%20bar"},{"displayForm":"taboo","slug":"taboo"},{"displayForm":"teary","slug":"teary"},{"displayForm":"tibia","slug":"tibia"},{"displayForm":"rib","slug":"rib"},{"displayForm":"rob","slug":"rob"},{"displayForm":"rub","slug":"rub"},{"displayForm":"try","slug":"try"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"Taraba"},"requestId":"jC165NiegxMAQM0UVBJ6p","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

Taraba

noun

Word of the Day