There’s a particular smell that seems to arrive with the first drops of rain. It’s earthy, fresh and a little musty, especially when a shower follows days of dry weather. You might notice it in your backyard, on a walk or while watching a summer storm roll in.But have you ever wondered why rain has a smell in the first place? Or whether that familiar scent has an actual name?It does—and the word has a fascinating origin. Here’s what to know about the smell of rain, what causes it and what you can call it.Related: What Do You Call a Group of Penguins?
What Is the Smell of Rain Called?
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The smell of rain is commonly called petrichor. According to Merriam-Webster, the word refers to the distinctive scent associated with rain falling, especially on dry ground.
Petrichor isn’t a single chemical or fragrance. It’s a combination of compounds from different sources, including plant oils and an organic substance called geosmin, produced by certain microorganisms in soil. Depending on the weather and surroundings, other odors, including ozone (a form of oxygen gas), may also contribute to what we recognize as the smell of rain.
The scent is often especially noticeable when the first rain arrives after a dry spell. That’s because compounds can accumulate on the ground during dry weather before raindrops help release them into the air.
The term was introduced by Australian researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard G. Thomas in a 1964 paper published in the journal Nature.
What Does Petrichor Mean?
The literal meaning of petrichor is just as interesting as its definition. The word combines two elements derived from ancient Greek: petra, meaning “stone,” and ichor, the mythical fluid said to flow through the veins of the Greek gods instead of blood.
Put together, the word evokes the idea of an essence coming from stone—or the “blood of the stone.” In their original research, Bear and Thomas proposed the term to describe the distinctive odor associated with certain rocks and soils after rainfall. Their work gave scientists a name for a phenomenon people had experienced for centuries.Related: What Does ‘FRFR’ Mean? The Slang Term You’re Seeing Everywhere
What Causes the Smell of Rain?
Petrichor develops through a combination of natural processes. Three contributors help explain why the air can smell different before, during and after a rainstorm. They include the following:
1. Plant Oils Released by Rain
During dry periods, plants produce oils and other organic compounds that can accumulate on rocks and in soil. When rain arrives, water helps release some of those compounds into the air. These plant-derived substances contribute to the earthy smell people associate with wet ground.
The length of a dry spell, local vegetation and the type of surface can all affect how noticeable the scent becomes.
2. Geosmin Produced by Soil Bacteria
Another major contributor is geosmin, an organic compound produced by certain bacteria. Geosmin has a distinctly earthy smell. It’s also responsible for some of the characteristic soil-like aroma associated with freshly turned garden dirt. Humans are remarkably sensitive to the compound and can detect it at very low concentrations.
When raindrops disturb the soil, geosmin and other scent-producing compounds can become airborne, helping create the familiar smell that follows rainfall.
3. Ozone Associated With Thunderstorms
Have you ever noticed a sharp, clean or slightly metallic smell in the air before a thunderstorm? Ozone may be part of what you’re detecting. Lightning can trigger chemical reactions that produce ozone in the atmosphere. Air currents may carry that ozone toward the ground, where its sharp odor can become noticeable around a storm.
Ozone isn’t the main explanation for every instance of petrichor, however. The familiar earthy scent after rain is more closely associated with compounds from soil and plants. Ozone can contribute a different smell under certain storm conditions.
Together, these different sources explain why the smell of rain can vary. A light shower in a garden may smell earthy, while a thunderstorm can bring a sharper scent to the air.
Is There a Name for the Smell of Rain on Pavement?
Erwin Bosman, Canva
The word petrichor can describe the earthy smell associated with rain on dry ground, but the scent of rain on pavement may be a little different.
When raindrops hit a dry sidewalk, street or parking lot, that can also release chemical compounds that have accumulated on the surface. These may include dust, plant material and other environmental residues.
That’s why the first rain after a dry period can smell different in a city than it does in a garden or forest. On pavement, the odor may be sharper, more mineral-like or less distinctly earthy.
There isn’t one separate, universally accepted word for every variation of rain-on-pavement smell. Petrichor remains the familiar term for the characteristic earthy scent associated with rainfall, even though the precise combination of odors depends on where the rain falls.Related: What Do You Call a Group of Owls?
Why Does the Smell of Rain Seem So Pleasant?
For many people, petrichor is one of the most appealing smells associated with the outdoors. It can bring to mind gardens, fresh air, summer storms or the relief of rain after hot weather. One reason the scent is so recognizable is that humans are remarkably sensitive to geosmin. Even a very small amount can be enough for us to recognize its earthy odor.
The scent may also become associated with personal memories. Someone might connect it with childhood summers, walking to school in the rain or spending time outside after a storm. Those associations can influence how a particular smell makes a person feel.
Researchers have explored the chemistry and perception of rain-related odors, but there isn’t a single proven explanation for why everyone who enjoys petrichor finds it appealing. People experience smells differently, and a scent one person finds refreshing may seem musty or unpleasant to someone else.
Still, its familiarity makes sense: Petrichor comes from natural processes involving soil, plants and microorganisms that are part of the environment around us.
The Bottom Line on Petrichor
The next time you notice that familiar earthy smell after a rainstorm, you’ll have a word for it: petrichor.
Coined by Australian researchers in 1964, the term has roots in ancient Greek and describes the distinctive aroma associated with rain hitting dry ground. Plant oils, geosmin from soil microorganisms and, in some conditions, ozone all help explain what we smell.
It’s a reminder that even an ordinary weather event involves a surprising amount of chemistry. Rain may have little smell of its own, but the world it touches certainly doesn’t.
Related: What Do You Call a Group of Foxes?
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