Sent, cent, and scent are homophones with different meanings. Sent is the past tense of the verb send. Cent is a noun referring to a monetary unit in several countries, worth one hundredth of a dollar. Scent can be used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it means a distinctive smell, and as a verb, it means to impart a pleasant scent to. Scent is a synonym of aroma or sent.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Synonyms | Smell, aroma, odour |
Noun | A distinctive smell |
Noun | The power of smelling |
Verb | Impart a pleasant scent to |
Verb | Discern by the sense of smell |
What You'll Learn
Scent as a noun means a distinctive smell
Scent, sent, and cent are homophones, meaning they are pronounced the same way but have different meanings. The word "cent" refers to a monetary unit, while "sent" is the past tense of the verb "send." On the other hand, "scent" is a noun that means "a distinctive smell." It can also be used as a verb, meaning to impart a pleasant scent or to detect something by smell.
The word "scent" comes from the Latin "sentire," which means "to sense." It is typically used to describe pleasant smells, such as perfume or flowers. For example, "the scent of her perfume filled the room." However, it can also refer to the sense of smell itself, as in "the shark scented the blood in the water."
As a noun, "scent" can also refer to a trail indicated by a characteristic smell, often used in the context of animals or tracking. For instance, "the hounds followed the scent of the deer." In this usage, the word "scent" takes on a more specific meaning, indicating a particular odour that conveys information or serves as a form of detection.
In addition to its literal meaning, the word "scent" can also be used metaphorically to convey a sense of anticipation or foreboding. For example, one might say, "I could scent trouble brewing on the horizon." Here, the word "scent" is used figuratively to describe an intuitive sense of something about to happen, much like an animal might sense impending danger through its acute sense of smell.
The word "scent" also carries connotations of memory and emotion. Certain scents can evoke powerful memories and emotional responses. For example, the scent of freshly baked cookies might remind someone of their grandmother's kitchen, triggering feelings of warmth and comfort. In this way, scent can be a powerful trigger for nostalgia and emotional connection.
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Scent as a verb means to detect or smell
"Sent", "cent", and "scent" are homophones, meaning they are pronounced the same way but have different meanings.
Scent, as a verb, means to detect or smell. For example, in the sentence "The hounds scented the fox in the woods", the word "scented" refers to the act of the hounds detecting or smelling the fox.
As a verb, "scent" can also mean to impart a pleasant smell to something, as in "The staff scented the air with natural oils before the guest arrived". Here, the verb "scent" indicates that a pleasant aroma was added to the air.
In addition, "scent" can be used as a verb to describe the act of hunting by using one's sense of smell, as in the case of hounds or other animals that rely on their sense of smell to track prey or find something.
Furthermore, "scent" can be used figuratively to mean having a suspicion or detecting the possibility of something. For instance, "I scented trouble when I saw them running down the hill towards me" implies that the speaker had a sense or suspicion that something unpleasant or dangerous was about to happen.
Overall, while "scent" as a noun refers to a distinctive smell or odour, using it as a verb indicates an action related to detecting or imparting smells, or even having a sense of something about to happen.
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Cents are coins
A "cent" is a monetary unit of many national currencies, including the United States, Canada, and several other countries. One cent is equal to 1/100 of the basic monetary unit of a given currency. In the United States, one cent is generally known as a penny, and it is the smallest denomination of currency in circulation.
The history of the cent in the United States is quite interesting. The coins of the United States dollar were first minted in 1792, and new coins have been produced annually since then, playing a significant role in the country's currency system. The United States Mint produces circulating coins for everyday transactions, and these coins include the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.
The design and composition of the cent have evolved over time. The mass and composition of the cent changed to the current copper-plated zinc core in 1982. The earlier versions of the coin, such as those minted between 1909 and 1942, had a different composition, mainly made of copper and tin/zinc.
The cent is an essential part of the US currency system, and its production and circulation are carefully managed. The United States Mint produces the coins, and the Federal Reserve Banks put them into circulation or withdraw them as demanded by the economy.
In summary, cents are indeed coins, specifically those worth one hundredth of the basic monetary unit in various currencies, including the United States dollar.
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Homophones are words with different meanings but identical pronunciations
Homophones can be confusing, especially when they come in trios like "sent," "cent," and "scent." These three words are pronounced identically but have very different definitions. "Sent" is the past tense of the verb "send," meaning to cause something to go or be delivered. "Cent" refers to a monetary unit worth one-hundredth of the main unit of currency in countries like the US and Canada. Meanwhile, "scent" can be a noun referring to a distinctive smell or a verb meaning to impart a pleasant fragrance.
Another example of homophones is "flower" and "flour." They sound identical when spoken aloud, but their meanings are quite different. You wouldn't bake a cake with "flower" petals, just as you wouldn't make a bouquet out of "flour." Other common homophone pairs include "write" and "right," "meet" and "meat," and "peace" and "piece."
Homophones can be tricky for both native speakers and language learners, and they are a unique aspect of the English language that adds to its complexity. Autocorrect may not always catch these errors, as the words are technically spelled correctly, so it's important to be aware of their nuances.
While homophones share pronunciation, homographs are words that are spelled identically but may have different pronunciations and meanings. For instance, "bass" the fish, and "bass" the musical instrument, are homographs. When words are both homophones and homographs, they can be called homonyms.
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Synonyms of scent include smell, aroma, and odour
"Sent," "scent," and "cent" are homophones—they are pronounced the same way but have different meanings.
"Sent" is the past tense of the verb "send," which means "to dispatch."
"Cent" is a monetary unit used in the US, Canada, and several other countries. One cent is equal to one hundredth of a dollar, euro, or other decimal currency unit.
"Scent," on the other hand, is related to smell. As a noun, it refers to a distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant. As a verb, "scent" means to impart a scent to something or to detect or discern something by smell. Synonyms of "scent" include "smell," "aroma," and "odour."
While "scent" is often used in a positive context, referring to pleasant smells, it can also be used in a more neutral sense, such as when discussing the sense of smell in animals. For example, "the shark scented the blood in the water."
The word "scent" can also be used in a figurative sense, meaning "to begin to feel that something exists or is about to happen." For instance, "he could always scent when a tornado was about to hit."
In summary, while "sent," "cent," and "scent" sound identical, they have distinct meanings related to sending or dispatch, currency, and smells or the sense of smell, respectively. Of these, "scent" is particularly associated with synonyms such as "smell," "aroma," and "odour."
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Frequently asked questions
As a noun, "scent" refers to a distinctive smell, especially one that is agreeable. It can also refer to the power of smelling. As a verb, it means to impart a pleasant scent to something or to discern something by the sense of smell.
A synonym of "scent" as a noun is odor. As a verb, synonyms include detect and smell.
No, "cent" and "scent" are homophones, meaning they sound the same but have different meanings. "Cent" refers to a monetary unit in the US, Canada, and several other countries, equal to one hundredth of a dollar, euro, or other decimal currency unit.
As a verb, "scent" means to give something a particular, pleasant smell, or to find something by using the sense of smell. For example, "the staff scented the air with natural oils".
The word for a distinctive smell is typically spelled "scent", whether the smell is pleasant or not.