First recorded in 1960–65.
Comes from petro-, a combining form meaning \"rock,\" and ichor, which in classical mythology means “ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods.”
Sign up for more Word of the Day!

\r\nEXAMPLES OF PETRICHOR\r\n

The desert landscape was quickly transformed as petrichor filled the air after a long-awaited rainstorm.
As the storm passed, leaving behind puddles and damp earth, the sweet petrichor lingered like a fond memory.

\r\nIt's National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!","audio":"https://static.sfdict.com/audio/NEW2016/petrichor_000.mp3","definitions":[{"partofspeech":"noun","data":"a distinctive scent, usually described as earthy, pleasant, or sweet, produced by rainfall on very dry ground."}],"examples":[],"imageUrl":"https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/petrichor_IG.png","accentColor":"#0063D7"}},"status":"succeeded"}},"meta":{"requestId":"JtyUYP8jJLGST5VUVw5qP","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchWordsNearby/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"before":[{"slug":"optical--disc","entry":"optical disc"},{"slug":"optical-disk","entry":"optical disk"},{"slug":"optical-double-star","entry":"optical double star"},{"slug":"optical-effects","entry":"optical effects"},{"slug":"optical-fiber","entry":"optical fiber"}],"after":[{"slug":"optical-flint","entry":"optical flint"},{"slug":"optical-glass","entry":"optical glass"},{"slug":"optical-illusion","entry":"optical illusion"},{"slug":"optical-isomer","entry":"optical isomer"},{"slug":"optical-isomerism","entry":"optical isomerism"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"optical-fibre"},"requestId":"cwIeUhPWGmIfQ0Z3nmkf-","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"luna/fetchExampleSentences/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"tdb":[],"gbg":[]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"optical-fibre"},"requestId":"-gIP7I_gWPVz650ztIju7","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchDictionaryResults/fulfilled","payload":{"slugs":[{"entries":[{"__typename":"CollinsEntry","headword":{"displayForm":"optical fibre","slug":"optical-fibre"},"homonym":null,"note":null,"origin":null,"partOfSpeechGroups":[{"definitions":[{"crossReferencesConnection":{"edges":[{"headword":"fibre optics","slug":"fibre-optics"}]},"definitionSetChunks":"[{\"type\": \"defgrp\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"a communications cable consisting of a thin glass fibre in a protective sheath. Light transmitted along the fibre may be modulated with vision, sound, or data signals\", \"type\": \"text\"}]}, {\"type\": \"cross_reference_group\", \"children\": [{\"text\": \"See also\", \"type\": \"text\"}, {\"text\": \"fibre optics\", \"slug\": \"fibre-optics\", \"type\": \"cross_reference\"}]}]","examples":[],"idiom":null,"ordinal":1,"sense":null,"subdefinitions":[]}],"ordinal":1,"partOfSpeech":"noun"}],"pronunciations":[],"subEntry":[]}],"url":"optical-fibre"}]},"meta":{"arg":{"slug":"optical-fibre"},"requestId":"MJ7kfAn3kLVfa5oJxYywz","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchResultsData/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"url":"optical-fibre","displayForm":"optical fibre","canonicalSlug":"optical-fibre","content":[{"source":"collins","entries":[{"id":"u11d1def534ea1be0.1a3ea532.11d23f03d86.-43bd.1","type":"normal","entry":"optical fibre","entrySyllabified":null,"entryVariants":"","homograph":null,"pronunciation":{"audio":null,"spell":null,"ipa":""},"predefinitionContent":"","posBlocks":[{"pos":"noun","posSupplementaryInfo":"","definitions":[{"order":1,"type":"simple","predefinitionContent":"","definition":"a communications cable consisting of a thin glass fibre in a protective sheath. Light transmitted along the fibre may be modulated with vision, sound, or data signals","postdefinitionContent":"See also fibre optics"}]}],"origin":"","supplementaryNotes":[],"variantForms":[],"referenceData":[],"relatedForms":[],"derivedForms":[]}]}],"nearbyWordOrdinal":110434,"index-rank-01":["optical fibre"],"index-rank-02":[],"index-rank-03":[],"index-rank-04":[],"index-rank-05":[],"index-rank-06":[],"index-rank-07":[],"index-rank-08":[],"index-rank-09":[],"index-rank-10":[],"index-rank-11":[],"index-rank-12":[],"index-rank-13":[],"index-rank-14":[],"index-rank-15":[],"tunaSlug":null,"isFeaturedMetaSlug":false}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"optical-fibre"},"requestId":"KeW9zM96nR2T3vzhaT4lR","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}},{"type":"fetchSpellSuggestions/fulfilled","payload":{"data":{"luna":[],"tuna":["fiber","fire","fibbery","forbore","fibber","fore","fib","fibril","firrer","figure","fiture","foible","fare","birr","bore","fiery","Libra","fable","fairer","flare","frore","sabre","bare","brew","free","biri"],"lunaWithSlug":[],"tunaWithSlug":[{"displayForm":"fiber","slug":"fiber"},{"displayForm":"fire","slug":"fire"},{"displayForm":"fibbery","slug":"fibbery"},{"displayForm":"forbore","slug":"forbore"},{"displayForm":"fibber","slug":"fibber"},{"displayForm":"fore","slug":"fore"},{"displayForm":"fib","slug":"fib"},{"displayForm":"fibril","slug":"fibril"},{"displayForm":"firrer","slug":"firrer"},{"displayForm":"figure","slug":"figure"},{"displayForm":"fiture","slug":"fiture"},{"displayForm":"foible","slug":"foible"},{"displayForm":"fare","slug":"fare"},{"displayForm":"birr","slug":"birr"},{"displayForm":"bore","slug":"bore"},{"displayForm":"fiery","slug":"fiery"},{"displayForm":"Libra","slug":"libra"},{"displayForm":"fable","slug":"fable"},{"displayForm":"fairer","slug":"fairer"},{"displayForm":"flare","slug":"flare"},{"displayForm":"frore","slug":"frore"},{"displayForm":"sabre","slug":"sabre"},{"displayForm":"bare","slug":"bare"},{"displayForm":"brew","slug":"brew"},{"displayForm":"free","slug":"free"},{"displayForm":"biri","slug":"biri"}]}},"meta":{"arg":{"word":"optical-fibre"},"requestId":"x-xX6KR412-HqsLRi657R","requestStatus":"fulfilled"}}]},"actionData":null,"errors":null}

optical fibre

noun

Word of the Day