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":"q4YoaWNsnZvzJBpd6GOlw","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"demobilization","entry":"demobilization"},{"slug":"demobilize","entry":"demobilize"},{"slug":"demob-suit","entry":"demob suit"},{"slug":"democide","entry":"democide"},{"slug":"democracy","entry":"democracy"}],"after":[{"slug":"democrat","entry":"democrat"},{"slug":"democratic","entry":"democratic"},{"slug":"democratic-centralism","entry":"democratic centralism"},{"slug":"democratic-deficit","entry":"democratic deficit"},{"slug":"democratic-party","entry":"Democratic Party"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"democracy-in-america"},"requestId":"3cSNd8C7iJ23_uLTfNm2z","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"democracy-in-america"},"requestId":"uMgFYc2HH46DbbWG80kxe","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"Entry","audioPronunciations":[],"confusableNotes":[],"genderNotes":[],"grammarNotes":[],"headword":{"displayForm":"Democracy in America","slug":"democracy-in-america"},"idioms":[],"orderKey":99999010,"ordinal":10,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechBlock":[{"definitions":[{"antonymsConnection":{"edges":[]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"variant_form\", \"pretext\": \"French\", \"punc\": \"comma\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"D\\u00e9mocracie en Am\\u00e9rique\", \"type\": \"form\"}]}, {\"type\": \"def\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a study (1835) by Alexis de Tocqueville of American political institutions.\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}]","examples":[],"ordinal":1,"subdefinitions":[],"synonymsConnection":{"edges":[]}}],"inflectionSets":[],"labelSet":null,"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciationNotes":[],"pronunciationSet":{"pronunciationSetChunk":"{\"type\": \"pronunciation_set\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18b80baffb9.1faa\", \"pronunciationGroupChunks\": [{\"type\": \"pronunciation_group\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18b80baffb9.1fab\", \"ipaChunks\": [{\"text\": \"d\\u026a\\u02c8m\\u0252k r\\u0259 si \\u026an \\u0259\\u02c8m\\u025br \\u026a k\\u0259\", \"type\": \"text\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18b80baffb9.1fac\"}], \"spellChunks\": [{\"text\": \"dih-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"mok\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18e0f47fe4c.5039\"}, {\"text\": \"-r\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"uh\", \"type\": \"emphasis\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18e0f47fe4c.503a\"}, {\"text\": \"-see in \", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"uh\", \"type\": \"emphasis\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18e0f47fe4c.503b\"}, {\"text\": \"-\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"mer\", \"type\": \"bold\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18e0f47fe4c.503c\"}, {\"text\": \"-i-k\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"uh\", \"type\": \"emphasis\", \"pointsTo\": \"u005d2a711802fc1e.7242d451.18e0f47fe4c.503d\"}]}]}"},"relatedFormSets":[],"sensitiveNotes":[],"spellingNotes":[],"synonymStudy":[],"usageAlerts":[],"usageNotes":[],"variants":[],"verbPhrases":[]}],"url":"democracy-in-america"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"democracy-in-america"},"requestId":"3PGT8B9RTyeR3o0a1PHsn","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"democracy-in-america","displayForm":"Democracy in America","canonicalSlug":"democracy-in-america","content":[{"source":"luna","entries":[{"id":"u3bb48a285cbafaf0.-3bc55cee.14d9e6367fd.-6e80","type":"normal","entry":"Democracy in America","entrySyllabified":"De·moc·ra·cy in A·mer·i·ca","entryVariants":[],"homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"ipa":"dɪˈmɒk rə si ɪn əˈmɛr ɪ kə ","spell":"dih-mok-ruh-see inuh-mer-i-kuh "},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"French Démocracie en Amérique ,","postdefinitionContent":"","definition":"a study (1835) by Alexis de Tocqueville of American political institutions.","synonyms":"","antonyms":"","cites":[]}],"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":""}],"origin":null,"originData":null,"supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"variantSpellings":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"confusables":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":41821,"index-rank-01":["democracy in america"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":["democracie en amerique","démocracie en amérique"],"index-rank-04":[],"index-rank-05":["democracie en amerique's","democracie en ameriques","democracie en ameriques'","démocracie en amérique's","démocracie en amériques","démocracie en amériques'"],"index-rank-06":["democracy america"],"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":[],"categoryId":"33","tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"democracy-in-america"},"requestId":"ZetyH50cEyFYXq0jZIQ3t","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":["America","American","Armorica","'Merica","Americus","armeria","Americana","Americano","Arica","Erica","Meriç","erica","amurca","myrica"],"tuna":["America","americas"],"lunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"America","slug":"america"},{"displayForm":"American","slug":"american"},{"displayForm":"Armorica","slug":"armorica"},{"displayForm":"'Merica","slug":"merica"},{"displayForm":"Americus","slug":"americus"},{"displayForm":"armeria","slug":"armeria"},{"displayForm":"Americana","slug":"americana"},{"displayForm":"Americano","slug":"americano"},{"displayForm":"Arica","slug":"arica"},{"displayForm":"Erica","slug":"erica"},{"displayForm":"Meriç","slug":"meric"},{"displayForm":"erica","slug":"erica"},{"displayForm":"amurca","slug":"amurca"},{"displayForm":"myrica","slug":"myrica"}],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"America","slug":"america"},{"displayForm":"americas","slug":"americas"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"democracy-in-america"},"requestId":"ZPHR5SyvbjntpL3ibsZ_d","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

Democracy in America

noun

Word of the Day