redolence
UK[ˈred.əl.əns]US[ˈred.əl.əns]
n
a pleasant smell, especially one that reminds you of something else.
n
the quality of strongly suggesting or being reminiscent of something.
Morpheme Breakdown
redol
ence
redol
smell
ence
noun suffix
Etymology
the word redolence traces its lineage to the latin verb 'redolēre', meaning 'to emit a smell' or 'to smell of'. this verb itself is a compound of the intensive prefix 're-' and the root 'olēre', which means 'to smell'. the latin 'olēre' is derived from the proto-indo-european root h₃ed-, meaning 'to smell'. the suffix '-ence' was added to form the abstract noun denoting the state or quality. thus, the literal meaning 'the state of smelling strongly' evolved into the modern english sense of a pleasant, evocative fragrance or the quality of being strongly reminiscent.
Analysis
Structure: redol (smell) + ence (noun suffix)
redol (from latin 'redolēre', meaning 'to emit a smell, to smell of'), ence (a noun-forming suffix from latin '-entia', indicating a state or quality).
Examples
the redolence of freshly baked bread filled the entire house.
the poem is filled with a redolence of nostalgia for a bygone era.
the summer air carried the sweet redolence of blooming jasmine.