Perfume Definition

The word perfume is used to describe a substance with a pleasant, sweet scent used to enhance the smell of people and objects. In modern times perfume most often defines a volatile liquid (a fixative) infused with pleasant smelling synthetic or natural substances.

Concentration

There are different types of perfume: eau de cologne, eau de toilette, eau de parfum, parfum de toilette and perfume.

Of these four types, perfume contains the strongest concentration (15 to 30 percent) of scent substances mixed with the fixative.

Significance

Perfume's level of concentration makes it the most expensive scent among the different types. Due to its concentration level the scent of perfume lasts six hours.

Types of Ingredients

In mixing perfume there are five main categories of scent which are: Fruit, Chypre, Oriental, Green Marine, Floral and Floriential.

Considerations

The perfume concentration of perfume is not often sold in bottles with a sprayer mechanism.

Etymology

The word perfume passed through Latin ("per," meaning "thoroughly"; and "fumar," meaning "to smoke") to Middle French ("perfum"), potentially from Old Occitan, a French dialect.

References

• Encyclopedia Britannica: perfume
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Perfume
• The Free Dictionary: Occitan Language

Resources

• The Free Dictionary: Perfume
• Aunt Judy's Attic: About Perfume
• Perfume Fashion History