hyperosmia
|hy-per-os-mi-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌhaɪpəˈrɑzmiə/
🇬🇧
/ˌhaɪpəˈrɒzmiə/
excessive sense of smell
Etymology
'hyperosmia' originates from Greek, specifically the prefix 'hyper-' (Greek ὑπέρ) meaning 'over, excessive' and 'osmē' (Greek ὀσμή) meaning 'smell'.
'hyperosmia' was formed in modern medical/New Latin usage by combining the Greek roots 'hyper-' + 'osmia' and entered English medical vocabulary with little phonological change.
The elements originally meant 'excess' + 'smell'; over time the compound came to denote the clinical condition of abnormally increased sensitivity to odors.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an abnormally increased sensitivity to odors; an unusually acute sense of smell.
After the infection she developed hyperosmia and could detect perfumes from across the room.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/28 10:24