English edit

Etymology edit

From para- (prefix meaning ‘abnormal’) +‎ osmo- (prefix meaning ‘smell’) +‎ -ia (suffix forming the names of diseases).[1][2]

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

parosmia (countable and uncountable, plural parosmias)

  1. (pathology) A distorted sense of smell, often resulting in the apparent detection of non-existent smells which are mostly unpleasant.
    Synonyms: (obsolete, rare) parosmis, troposmia
    • 1817, John Mason Good, “Gen[us] III. Parosmis.”, in A Physiological System of Nosology; [], London: [] Bensley and Son, [], for E. Cox and Son, [], →OCLC, page 320:
      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.
    • 1842, Robley Dunglison, “Of the Neuroses”, in The Practice of Medicine; or, A Treatise on Special Pathology and Therapeutics. [], volume II, Philadelphia, Pa.: Lea and Blanchard, →OCLC, book VI (Diseases of the Nervous System), page 280:
      The smell, too, is often perverted—Parosmia. The author was formerly acquainted with a lady, who scented her snuff with the tincture of assafœtida.
    • 1949 July, F. C. Sumner, “[Part III.—Bibliography and Epitome.] Smell and Taste Disturbances after Head Injuries.”, in G. W. T. H. Fleming, editor, The Journal of Mental Science: The British Journal of Psychiatry, volume XCV, number 400, London: J[ohn] & A[ugustus] Churchill, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 767:
      Smell disturbances occur quite frequently after head injuries. They consist in unilateral or bilateral hypnosmia or anosmia which may be bound with spontaneous parosmias.
    • 1996, “Smell Disorders”, in M. Eric Gershwin, Gary A. Incaudo, editors, Diseases of the Sinuses: A Comprehensive Textbook of Diagnosis and Treatment, Totowa, N.J.: Humana Press, →ISBN, part III (Clinical Disease), page 438, column 1:
      Parosmia has been reported by a number of patients with head trauma. In some cases, parosmia is a sign of nerve regeneration and the return (at least partially) of the sense of smell. In other cases, parosmia can be severe, persistent, and intrusive.
    • 2005, B. N. Landis, T. Hummell, J.-S. Lacroix, “Basic and Clinical Aspects of Olfaction”, in J. D. Pickard, editor, Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery, volume 30, Vienna: SpringerWienNewYork, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 88:
      Parosmias tend to decrease to a bearable level after approximately one year. However, recent work revealed that more than 50% of the parosmias are still present after two years. Over time, parosmia seems to lose its devastating effect on quality of life.
    • 2022 January 15, Christopher Sharp, “Covid symptoms: Five foods that could trigger parosmia – reported symptom after infection”, in Gary Jones, editor, Daily Express[1], London: Express Newspapers, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2022-04-18:
      In June 2021, a study found that of 1,299 people suffering with long-Covid, that 10.8 percent or 140 of them were suffering with change in their sense of smell. Also known as parosmia, change in your sense of smell can affect everyone differen[tly].

Hyponyms edit

Coordinate terms edit

  • anosmia (absent sense of smell)
  • hyposmia (reduced sense of smell)

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Compare parosmia, n.”, in OED Online  , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, March 2022.
  2. ^ parosmia, n.”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present, reproduced from Stuart Berg Flexner, editor in chief, Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Random House, 1993, →ISBN.

Further reading edit

Anagrams edit