redolence
C2Literary/Formal
Definition
Meaning
A pleasantly strong smell; the quality of having a distinct, often pleasant fragrance.
A quality that strongly evokes or suggests something else; a vivid reminder or suggestion of something, often from the past.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a literary and formal noun. While it can describe any strong smell, its default connotation is positive (pleasant fragrance). The 'suggestion' meaning is more abstract and metaphorical, linked to evoking memories or associations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or pronunciation differences. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with poetic/literary description in British English. In American English, it may be slightly more likely in high-end marketing or food writing.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both. Slightly higher relative frequency in UK literary corpus, but remains a rare word.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
redolence of [noun/smell]redolence with [noun/quality]be redolent of [noun/memory]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “redolent of the past”
- “redolent with memory”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in marketing copy for luxury goods, perfumes, or gourmet foods.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, historical writing, or sensory studies to describe evocative qualities.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound overly formal or poetic.
Technical
Not used in scientific contexts (where 'odour' or 'aroma compound' is preferred).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The garden was redolent with the scent of night-scented stock.
American English
- His writing style is redolent of nineteenth-century novelists.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The redolence of freshly baked bread filled the whole house.
- The attic had a strange redolence of dust and old paper.
- The memoir is redolent with the atmosphere of post-war London.
- One could detect the faint redolence of cigar smoke, a ghost of the previous owner.
- The poem's language has a redolence of ancient pastoral traditions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE-DOLL-ence. A doll (RE-DOLL) soaked in perfume has a strong REDOLENCE.
Conceptual Metaphor
SMELL IS A CARRIER OF MEMORY (The redolence of the attic carried me back to my childhood).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'аромат' (aromat) for the abstract sense. For 'redolent of history', use 'наполненный духом истории' or 'вызывающий ассоциации с историей'.
- Do not confuse with 'red' (красный) - no relation.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean a bad smell (incorrect: *the redolence of rotten eggs).
- Misspelling as 'redolance' or 'redolense'.
- Using it in casual speech where 'smell' or 'scent' is appropriate.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'redolence' used CORRECTLY in its most typical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically yes, but it is strongly associated with pleasant or distinctive smells. Using it for a foul odour is rare and would be intentionally poetic or ironic.
'Redolence' implies a stronger, more diffuse, and often more evocative smell. 'Scent' is more general and neutral. 'Redolence' also has the abstract meaning of 'suggestiveness' which 'scent' lacks.
No. It is a literary, formal, and low-frequency word (C2 level). In everyday conversation, 'smell', 'scent', or 'fragrance' are far more common.
The adjective 'redolent' is more frequently used than the noun 'redolence', especially in the metaphorical pattern 'redolent of' (suggestive of).