Petrichor
This word was unknown to me until I saw it twice in one day, courtesy first of Steve and then of Meike. It is a simple word to describe the almost indefinable scent that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.
Petrichor is a word that was created in 1964 by two Australian scientists to replace ‘argillaceous odour’ as a description for the wonderful, earthy smell that follows rain. The word derives from a combination of the Greek words petra for stone and ichor, the golden blood of the immortals in Greek mythology. (In medicine, ichor was an archaic word for a thin, sometimes foul-smelling discharge from a wound.)
Bacteria in the soil create a chemical called geosmin, which accumulates in dry weather. At the same time, in the same conditions, soil absorbs chemicals secreted by plants. When rain falls, air in the soil forms small bubbles that rise to the surface and discharge fine vapours or aerosols.
Humans are highly sensitive to geosmin and detect it even in small amounts. Scientists believe it is possible that ancient humans used this smell to find water and living plants during extreme dry weather, and that geosmin slowed the germination of seeds and subsequent plant growth.
Another word I discovered was ‘pluviophile,’ meaning a lover of rain and someone who experiences delight and serenity on rainy days. There must surely be another word to describe those who eventually tire of endless rain. I found there are two (at least!) – ombrophobia and pluviophobia, but I think there will be a short hiatus before any of us in UK fall prey to that condition.
I have only become familiar wth it recently. I guess whatI used to smell in my dad’s greenhouses was a kind of petrichor.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful smell, wherever you encounter it.
DeleteI love that smell. The rain now is a blessing... ask me again after it rains continuously for a week!
ReplyDeleteWe are greeting rain like a long-lost friend at present. That will pass.
DeleteAs an American whose parents were both immigrants from England, I definitely have inherited pluviophilia, even though I live in the rainiest part of the US. Can't stand the heat and glare of summer, which is the only rainless season here.
ReplyDeleteGenetics have a major part to play in our reaction to our environment, I'm sure.
DeleteI wonder if there is a word for people who feel like they need a nap when it rains
ReplyDeleteI can't find a word for that - we'll have to make one up. 😉
DeleteBelieve me, it won't be long before you are reading blogs full of complaints about endless rain, people fed up with the weather, fed up with wet, fed up with cold, fed up with damp, fed up with grey days, and roll on summer. It happens every year. Memories are short in Britain be it politics or weather. Rachel
ReplyDeleteQuite true - it's always the worst or the best of times, whatever's happening. Short memory is not always a bad thing, especially for the miserable events, though some seem to relish misery.
DeleteThat first heavy scent of rain on dry dirt is honestly one of my absolute favorite things in the world, and it is wild to learn there is actual ancient biology tied to why we crave it. It is funny you mentioned the UK bit at the end too, because with how much grey drizzle we get, I feel like we constantly dance right on the edge between being total pluviophiles and secretly plotting an escape to the desert. That combination of geosmin and plant oils hitting the air just triggers something deep inside, and now I am definitely going to look at every summer storm a little differently knowing it is basically ancient chemistry calling out to us.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to be reminded that we are not so very far removed from our cave-dwelling ancestors. I'd like to think, but do not believe, that our atavistic skills could return or be revived as easily.
DeleteAs we just got another 3/4 inch of rain this morn, I do get a bit tired of it. But this is the first summer is decades that it has been wet so much after extreme heat of June and early July. I fit in the middle, glad for rain but a bit bored by it now.
ReplyDeleteModeration in all things is the most pleasing state of affairs, and we're lucky if we experience that.
DeleteWe haven't had any discernible amounts of rain in a couple of months and I miss that smell during, and just after, the rain.
ReplyDeleteWe smelt it briefly for the first time recently in weeks, a scent I wish we could bottle.
DeleteI had forgotten about smells ;) but yes rain soaked vegetation is good. Had to look up my favourite, it is courmain. I had smelt it when I broke a hay bail. for the horse. A sweet definitive smell of herbs. Apparently it smells like vanilla.
ReplyDeleteI had to look that up, so thank you for that.
DeleteI also found this:
Health and Safety Toxicity: High doses can cause liver damage.
Regulation: Restricted in food and cosmetic products to ensure safe consumption and usage limits.
Who'd have thunk it?
Well in my case, only the horse but it is a bit of a worry as far as vanilla is concerned.
DeleteThat has to be one of my favourite smells! I also love the smell of the forest in the Fall.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the fun post. I might be able to throw a word at my husband that he doesn’t know.
It is nice to 'blind with science' sometimes . . . I hope the opportunity soon presents itself. 😉🤣😂
DeleteI suppose if there's a pluviophile, it makes sense there would be a pluviophobe! I'm sure there are evolutionary reasons why we are all so sensitized to (and enjoy) that wonderful smell after a rain.
ReplyDeleteWe should all be more in touch with our atavistic senses without being precious about it.
DeleteA few greek words there that I recognise. I'm always happy when I know the meaning of a word because I can speak greek.
ReplyDeleteAnd that earthy smell after the first rain. Wonderful. I hope I'll be smelling it again soon
We need rain to douse the dry earth again.
DeleteFor me, the rain smell is usually pleasant, but when I was growing up in New York City, April brought out a lot of earthworms and That pleasant smell turned into something Unpleasant. I wonder why that was. don’t know why iPhone dictation keeps capitalizing words that don’t need to be capitalized. I’m too lazy to go back and correct it today.
ReplyDeleteLove that smell (and now I know why).
ReplyDeleteI have heard pluviophile but had forgotten its meaning. I love petrichor, it's one of the best smells, right up there with vanilla, coffee and good chocolate.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there might be some people who don't like it . . .
DeleteYou can smell rain on the wind too. Weather forecasting.
ReplyDeleteAnother sense that would have been so important to our forebears.
DeleteI did know this word.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful smell and it has been a joy to have some rain :)
All the best Jan
Not quite enough rain, yet, though I'm sure that will soon change. 😉⛈️☔
DeleteThe earth gives off so many scents. I like the smell of homegrown tomato plants being watered in the evening. And I ccan smell rain beofre it arrives. Can you?
ReplyDeleteTomato plants, and geraniums and yes to smelling rain - blissful after a dry spell.
DeleteMy nose is not very efficient, and can rarely smell anything related to rain.
ReplyDeleteAt least you're spared the more unpleasant odours, which is a blessing.
DeleteSo, they weren't big on divining rods back in the day and used their noses. How very wise, when your life depends on finding water.
ReplyDeleteWe don't appreciate half of what humans used to depend on for survival. I hope we don't ever revert to that condition . . .
DeleteThe wonderful earthy smell that follows rain still impresses us now, especially in areas that are largely dry for half the year. So I am not surprised it was named by Australian scientists.
ReplyDeleteBut although I will remember the "petra" half, the other half of the word is less familiar.
I imagine that water in Australia is a precious commodity. I'm sure your governments and controllers have better methods of preservation and conservation. Our Victorian systems constantly spring leaks and waste gallons of water. It's deplorable.
DeletePetrichor is one of my most favorite smells...along with the smell of corn tasseling out and of falling/decaying leaves. (I don't believe there are actual words for the latter two but there should be.) I am definitely a pluviophile vs. a pluviophobe...unless, of course, something is in my world is flooding...which has been known to happen.
ReplyDeleteAfter your recent experiences of too much water in the wrong places, I applaud your pluviophility (is that a word?) Decaying leaves, leaf mould, damp earth are all energising scents.
DeleteAll new words to me Janice - I have never heard of any of them. I do love the "smell" that the air gets when a good rainstorm is coming. I love the lead up to it just as much as the storm itself. xx
ReplyDeleteAnticipation is a wonderful thing, Julie, the air full of ozone before the rains fall - just splendid.
DeleteI didn't know that the word was created so relatively recent - I always thought it's come down to us from some Greek scientist of antiquity.
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely makes sense for us as a species to be so sensitive to this particular scent; our survival has always been depending on having access to fresh water.
We are dependent on water, but are so cavalier in our attitude to conserving and storing it, particularly so in UK, despite protestations and 'lessons learned.'
DeleteWe are no better in the US, despite all the warnings. In thinking about it, I don't think the attitude applies just to water either. As a society, we are a wasteful bunch.
DeletePetrichor was new to me, pluviophile not at all. One surely may be pluviophylllic at times and pluviophobic at others. I know I experience both states.
ReplyDeleteTwo sides of the same coin, each equally important.
DeleteA fascinating post and I enjoyed learning new words and about their origins. Thank you Janice!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise.
DeleteI first heard the word on a Doctor Who episode where it was used as a telepathic password: crimson, eleven, delight, petrichor
ReplyDeleteHow interesting. I don't watch Doctor Who - perhaps I should.
DeleteD piped up and said she knew what 'petrichor' meant. I was impressed. She sheepishly admitted learniig it from a Dr Who episode too !!
ReplyDelete