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
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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
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
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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
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
Cite this Entry
“Olfactometer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/olfactometer. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
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