parosmia

Definition

A distorted sense of smell, often resulting in the apparent detection of non-existent smells which are mostly unpleasant.

Etymology

From para- (prefix meaning ‘abnormal’) + -osmia (suffix denoting diseases connected to smelling).

Example Sentences

• "Parosmis, from παρα, "male [Latin: ‘badly; wrongly’]," and ὄζω, "oleo, olfacio;" analogously with paracusis and paropsis, and hence preferred to parosmia. The common term among nosologists is anosmia, but this only includes one species of the genus, namely, privation or destitution of smell; which, in fact, is the only one that has hitherto been introduced into nosological systems."
• "The smell, too, is often perverted—Parosmia. The author was formerly acquainted with a lady, who scented her snuff with the tincture of assafœtida."
• "Smell disturbances occur quite frequently after head injuries. They consist in unilateral or bilateral hypnosmia or anosmia which may be bound with spontaneous parosmias."