smell test
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smell test
- /ˈsmɛl tɛst/ UK
- /ˈsmɛl ˌtɛst/ US
Where it comes from
From smell (noun) + test (noun).
noun smell tests
-
An assessment of a subject's ability to detect and distinguish odors.
Although scientists have yet to pin down any biological basis for cigarette smokers' impaired performance on the smell test, Doty says he suspects that certain chemicals in smoke . . . damage the olfactory receptor cells in the nose.
Similar: nose test
-
An inspection of an object by smelling it, as for cleanliness of clothing or freshness of food.
I give the smell test to many foods when I shop.
Similar: nose test
- An informal check of whether an idea or proposal is credible, ethical, etc., using one's common sense or sense of propriety. It just doesn't pass the smell test. It just creates too many opportunities for cutting corners, doing unethical things and basically not telling the truth.
Talk about this word "smell test." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/smell%20test. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. smell test. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/smell%20test "smell test." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/smell%20test.Cite this
@misc{smell_test_2026,
title = {smell test},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/smell%20test},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
