Petrichor
- “the smell of rain on dry ground”
- “that earthy scent when it first starts raining after a dry spell”
- “what is the word for how rain smells”
- “the fresh smell right before and after a storm”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Petrichor | Geosmin |
|---|---|---|
| Is | The full scent | One compound |
| Made of | Oils + geosmin + ozone | Just geosmin |
| Made by | Rain on dry ground | Soil bacteria |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Petrichor rather than Geosmin are usually searching for phrases like “the smell of rain on dry ground”, “that earthy scent when it first starts raining after a dry spell”, “what is the word for how rain smells”.
03 · The mix-up
Where the confusion comes from
The mix-up“Rain itself has a smell.”
What's true
Rain is odourless — petrichor comes from oils and geosmin in the ground, flung into the air by the drops.
04 · Read either one