geosmin

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek γεω- (geō-, “earth”) + ὀσμή (osmḗ, “smell”) +‎ -in.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒiːˈɒz.mɪn/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒiˈɑz.mɪn/

Noun

geosmin (countable and uncountable, plural geosmins)

1. (organic chemistry) A bacterial derivative of decahydronaphthalene that has a strong earthy smell and is the material responsible for petrichor and for the earthy taste of beetroot.
   • 1998, F. Colin, Ph. Quevauviller, Monitoring of Water Quality, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 151:

     A good example of this is geosmin, for which a typical sensitivity for the human nose is below 10 parts per trillion (10 parts in 10¹⁸ v/v) (ppt).

   • 2011, Olaf C.G. Adan, Robert A. Samson, Fundamentals of mold growth in indoor environments and strategies for healthy living, Springer, →ISBN, page 255:

     A. versicolor may be one of the major producers of the moldy smelling component, geosmin, in buildings (Bjurman and Kristensson 1992).

   • 2014, Burkhard Fugmann, Susanne Lang-Fugmann, Wolfgang Steglich, editors, RÖMPP Encyclopedia Natural Products, Georg Thieme Verlag, →ISBN:

     Beetroots: The flavor is decisively characterized by the earthy note of geosmin

Further reading

• geosmin on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• genoism, gomesin, misgone