olfactometer

noun

ol·​fac·​tom·​e·​ter ˌäl-ˌfak-ˈtä-mə-tər 

ˌōl-

: an instrument for measuring the sensitivity of the sense of smell especially in regard to intensity, concentration, or quality of an odor

Examples of olfactometer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Larvae of the French scarab dung beetle Agrilinus constans were reared on four different artificial substrates containing dung from cattle, horse, sheep or wild boar, and responses of imagos to dung volatiles were then behaviourally tested in an olfactometer. —Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2011

The group use a device called an olfactometer, which produces waves of smell to see how sensitive a person’s senses are. —Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 26 July 2010

To investigate, the scientists placed samples of favored and nonfavored soils at the end of a Y-junction olfactometer in which each arm was scented by a different dirt. —Jennifer Frazer, Scientific American, 21 Nov. 2020

But for use cases like trying to locate a concentrated marijuana plant odor, a field olfactometer lets testers roam and continue to smell on the go. —Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 15 Jan. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

olfactometer

noun

ol·​fac·​tom·​e·​ter ˌäl-ˌfak-ˈtäm-ət-ər, ˌōl- 

: an instrument for measuring the sensitivity of the sense of smell in regard to intensity, concentration, or quality of an odor