Petrichor

Petrichor (/ˈpɛtrɨkɔər/) is the scent of rain on dry earth, or the scent of dust after rain. The word is constructed from Greek, petros, meaning stone + ichor, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology. It is defined as "the distinctive scent which accompanies the first rain after a long warm dry spell 

In truth I owe the inspiration for this entire undertaking to this word. It's a strange word, of course it was invented by scientists so it makes good and proper sense in terms of its origin and makeup. The sound of the word itself though, petrichor, conjures up absolutely nothing of the poetic sense associated with the scent of rain. Try it out; say the word aloud to yourself, taste it, roll it around on your tongue. Now think of rain, draw up from your sense memory the scent of rain on a warm spring day as it soaks into the soil in your garden... what word comes to mind? Not petrichor, be honest now. Nevertheless, I love this word. I have shared this word with as many people as I've had opportunity, if you've been within earshot of me whilst the scent itself was present... you've likely heard me ask you if you know the word.  

If we were to construct a meaning for this word and not know that it had already been coined by some Australians somewhere when they were surely bored out on some dusty plain and were delighted by the rain to distract them... excuse me. If we were to construct our own meaning based on petros -stone- and ichor -god blood- I think my definition would have rather more to do with Golems than smells. Petrichor could just as easily define the divine juice pumped into a formed clay figure in order to animate it and send it forth to do thy holy bidding. But alas, the Australians got to it first and thankfully so perhaps because it's a word deserving of more use than it would see if only to description of holy animated solids. I implore you to spread the word.


Petrichor. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 8, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor