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smell

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
sense that enables an organism to perceive and distinguish the odors of various substances, also known as olfaction. In humans, the organ of smell is situated in the mucous membrane of the upper portion of the nasal cavity near the septum. It is made up of the olfactory cells, which are actually nerve cells that function as receptors for the sense of smell. The free ends of the cells project outward from the epithelial tissue in the form of numerous hairlike processes. These fibers are buried in the mucus that coats the inner surface of the nasal cavity and are stimulated by various odors. Nerve fibers extend from the olfactory cells to an area of the brain called the olfactory bulb. Any disturbance of the nasal cavity—such as the common cold—in which the olfactory hairs are covered with excess mucus or other material, interferes with the sense of smell. Most physiologists agree that although a substance must be volatile to be sniffed by the nose, it must subsequently be dissolved in…
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Full text Article Smell

From Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology
Smell is the sense that perceives odor by means of the nose and olfactory nerve, also known as olfaction. Olfaction, or the sense of smell, is a chemical sense, as is the sense of taste. Both smell and taste arise from interactions between chemical and receptor cells. In olfaction, the chemical is…
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Full text Article Smell

From Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Sense of smell (human).
Smell is the ability of an organism to sense and identify a substance by detecting trace amounts of the substance that evaporate. Researchers have noted similarities in the sense of smell between widely differing species that reveal some of the details of how the chemical signal of an odor is…
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Full text Article smell

From Library of Health and Living: The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health
The olfactory sense and one of the five basic senses. Smell is a chemical sense, providing a direct link with the environment. It evolved primarily to determine which substances are acceptable. When molecules escape into the air, they travel up the nose to a small region of moist tissue called the…
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Full text Article smell

From The Macquarie Dictionary
smelt, smelled, smelling to perceive through the nose, by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odour of. smells, smelling, smelt, smelled smelt, smelled, smelling to test by the sense of smell. smells, smelling, smelt, smelled smelt, smelled, smelling to perceive, detect, or discover by…
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Full text Article smell

From The Chambers Dictionary
the sense by which the odours of gases, vapours and very finely divided substances are perceived, located in the higher animals in the mucous membrane of the nose; the specific sensation excited by such a substance; the property of exciting it; an act or instance of exercising the sense; a pleasant…
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Full text Article smell

From The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language
a. The sense, located in the nasal cavities of mammals and relying on the olfactory nerves, by which molecules borne in a fluid such as air can be perceived; the olfactory sense. b. A similar sense in other animals, as insects’ ability to perceive air-borne molecules with their antennae. The act or…
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Full text Article smell

From Collins English Dictionary
vb smells , smelling , smelt or smelled 1 ( tr ) to perceive the scent or odour of (a substance) by means of the olfactory nerves 2 ( copula ) to have a specified smell; appear to the sense of smell to be: the beaches smell of seaweed ; some tobacco smells very sweet 3 (( intr ) often foll by of ) …
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Full text Article Smell

From The Brain Book: An illustrated guide to its structure, function and disorders Full text Article The Senses
Smell centers in the brain The olfactory bulb is...
Although vision has become the dominant sense in humans, the sense of smell (olfaction) remains important to survival because it can warn us of hazardous substances in our environment. The senses of smell and taste are closely linked. Like the sense of taste, smell is a chemical sense. Specialized…
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Full text Article Smell

From Fungipedia: A Brief Compendium of Mushroom Lore
Just as fungi come in a variety of sizes and shapes, they also come with a variety of smells. While the carrion-like odor of stinkhorns is designed to coax insects into spreading their spores, the smell of certain other mushrooms may be saying to the prospective diner, “If you eat me, you'll be…
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Full text Article Smell

From Black's Veterinary Dictionary
Smell is detected by the dissolving of minute particles of oderiferous substances, gaseous or solid, in the mucus lining the nose. This triggers a response in the hair-like processes attached to the nerve cells which is transmitted to the brain by the olfactory nerve. The sense of smell is much more…
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