Verboticism: Olefactory

'It reminds me of when our kids were babies.'

DEFINITION: n. A wayward scent or aroma which invokes distant memories of one's childhood or younger days. v. To be suddenly catapulted into the past by a very strong odor.

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Olefactory

Created by: Banky

Pronunciation: /ohl-fak-torr-ee/

Sentence: Ron's nose smelled heated metal and stinging welled in his eyes. The punch had landed squarely on the bridge of his nose, and had trigged an olefactory reaction. He remembered the first time his stepdad had hit him. The terror as he grabbed him by the back of the shirt, the smell of red iron, a mouth full of blood, and his stepfather writhing and clawing at the side of his own head. He snapped out of the memory with a mouth full of salt and rubber, and there lay the mugger doubled much the way John was, years ago. He spat, and the ear landed askew on the ground, like a fallen leaf.

Etymology: ole - colloquial version of "old"; olfactory - relating to the sense of smell

Points: 1388

Comments: Olefactory

Jabberwocky - 2009-03-23: 12:28:00
pretty graphic but a terrific word

silveryaspen - 2009-03-23: 13:41:00
Your sentence ranks right up there with the best of Steven King!

kateinkorea - 2009-03-23: 23:29:00
Really good word and terrific sentence.