aromatic

any of a number of polymers containing alternate silicon and oxygen atoms and that are fluid, resinous, rubbery, extremely stable in high temperatures, and water-repellent

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Collins

World English Dictionary

aromatic (ˌærəˈmætɪk)

—*adj*
1.	having a distinctive, usually fragrant smell
2.	Compare aliphatic (of an organic compound) having an unsaturated ring containing alternating double and single bonds, esp containing a benzene ring; exhibiting aromaticity

—n
3.	something, such as a plant or drug, giving off a fragrant smell

aro'matically

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

aromatic

mid-14c., from Fr. aromatique (14c.), from L. aromaticus, from Gk. aromatikos, from aroma (gen. aromatos) "seasoning, sweet spice," of unknown origin.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

aromatic ar·o·mat·ic (ār'ə-māt'ĭk)
adj.

Having an agreeable, somewhat pungent, spicy odor.
Of, relating to, or containing one or more six-carbon rings characteristic of the benzene series and related organic groups.

n.
Any of a group of vegetable-derived drugs having a fragrant odor and slight stimulative properties.

ar'o·mat'i·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

aromatic

(ār'ə-māt'ĭk) Pronunciation Key

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Relating to an organic compound containing at least one benzene ring or similar ring-shaped component. Naphthalene and TNT are aromatic compounds. Compare aliphatic.

Example sentences

Apple, pear, and aromatic stone fruit give way to a gamut of citrus.

Each sprig of aromatic herbs or flowers was chosen for its meaning according to the language of flowers.

Now, retailers are selling potent aromatic candles billed for bathroom use.

Give this breakfast staple a makeover with the addition of freshly toasted, aromatic hazelnuts.

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spice -ole absinthe allspice angelica angostura bark

Matching Quote

"Kitchens were different then, too—not only what came out of them, but their smells and sounds. A hot pie cooling smells different from a frozen pie thawing. Oilcloth and linoleum and apples in an open bowl and ruffled rubber aprons make a different aromatic mix from Formica and ceramic tile and mangoes in an acrylic fruit ripener and plastic-coated aprons printed with "Who invited all these tacky people?" And the kitchen sounds. I am not sure that today's kitchen is noisier. But the noises are different. Today you get the song of the food processor and the blender, the intermittent hum of the reefer and the freezer, the buzz-slosh-and-grunt of the dishwasher, the violently audible digestive processes of the waste disposal in the sink. Then it was the whir and clatter of the hand-powered eggbeater, the thunk-thunk-thunk of somebody mashing potatoes, or, in green-pea season, the crisp pop of pea pod and the rattle-rattle-rattle of peas into the pan."

-Peg Bracken