deodorizing
|de-o-do-riz-ing|
🇺🇸
/diːˈoʊdəraɪz/
🇬🇧
/diːˈəʊdəraɪz/
(deodorize)
remove smell
Etymology
'deodorize' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'de-' (meaning 'remove' or 'reduce') + 'odor' (from Latin 'ōdor', meaning 'smell') + the verb-forming suffix '-ize' (from French/Latin/Gk formation patterns).
'deodorize' was formed in the late 19th to early 20th century as a back-formation/derivation combining 'de-' + 'odor' + '-ize'; British English often uses the spelling 'deodorise'. The verb developed directly in modern English rather than through a long medieval inheritance.
Initially coined to mean 'remove or counteract unpleasant smells,' the meaning has remained stable and is still used today for both literal odor removal and products/processes that neutralize smells.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of deodorizing; deodorizing as a gerund (the process of removing or neutralizing odors).
Deodorizing of the refrigerator is necessary to remove lingering smells.
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Verb 1
to remove, neutralize, or mask unpleasant odors; to make something free of bad smells.
They are deodorizing the locker room after the game.
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Adjective 1
having the property or effect of removing or preventing unpleasant smells (used attributively, often before a noun).
She bought a deodorizing spray for the gym bag.
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Last updated: 2025/11/05 04:04