anosmia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowMedical/Technical, Formal
Quick answer
What does “anosmia” mean?
The complete loss of the sense of smell.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The complete loss of the sense of smell.
The medical condition of being unable to perceive odours, either from birth (congenital) or acquired through illness, injury, or as a side effect of some medications. In rare contexts, it can be used metaphorically for a lack of sensitivity or perception in non-physical domains.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or usage differences. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Identical clinical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, used almost exclusively in medical contexts. Gained wider public awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grammar
How to Use “anosmia” in a Sentence
[patient/subject] + has/experiences/suffers from + anosmiaanosmia + is caused by + [cause][cause] + results in/leads to + anosmiaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anosmia” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The virus can anosmise patients, leaving them unable to smell their tea.
- He was temporarily anosmised after the accident.
American English
- The infection can anosmize patients, leaving them unable to smell coffee.
- She was anosmized for weeks after the sinus surgery.
adverb
British English
- [Extremely rare; not standard usage]
American English
- [Extremely rare; not standard usage]
adjective
British English
- The anosmic patient could not detect the gas leak.
- Researchers studied the anosmic cohort for five years.
American English
- The anosmic participant could not identify the scents in the test.
- An anosmic condition can affect nutritional choices.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used, except potentially in pharmaceutical/healthcare industry reports.
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and neurological research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used by patients describing a symptom to a doctor or in news reports about health (e.g., long COVID).
Technical
The primary context. Used in clinical diagnosis, neurology, otolaryngology (ENT), and scientific literature.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anosmia”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anosmia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anosmia”
- Misspelling as 'anosima' or 'anomsia'.
- Using it to describe a reduced sense of smell (should be hyposmia).
- Pronouncing the 's' as /s/ instead of /z/ (it's /'nɒz.mi.ə/).
- Confusing it with 'aphasia' (loss of speech).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Anosmia is the loss of smell. The loss of taste is called 'ageusia'. However, because smell greatly influences flavour, people with anosmia often report that food 'tastes' bland or different.
It depends on the cause. Some cases, like those from a common cold, are temporary. Others, due to head trauma or neurodegenerative diseases, may be permanent. Treatments like smell training, steroids, or surgery are sometimes used.
It is a low-frequency, technical term. Its public recognition increased significantly due to its association with COVID-19, where loss of smell was a hallmark symptom.
Anosmia refers to a complete or near-complete loss of the sense of smell. Hyposmia refers to a reduced ability to smell, i.e., a partial loss.
The complete loss of the sense of smell.
Anosmia is usually medical/technical, formal in register.
Anosmia: in British English it is pronounced /æˈnɒz.mi.ə/, and in American English it is pronounced /æˈnɑːz.mi.ə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated with the clinical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A-NOSE-MIA' – the condition of having 'no smell' for your nose.
Conceptual Metaphor
SENSATION IS A CHANNEL/PATHWAY ('the olfactory pathway is blocked'); KNOWING/PERCEIVING IS SMELLING ('I can't get a whiff of what's going on' – metaphorical extension).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'anosmia'?