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Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

odour, odorant, odoriferous, odorous

In such words as odour, Canadians generally prefer the British ending -our to the American ending -or.

  • The distinctive odour of skunk permeated the campsite.

However, the u is dropped in odorant, odoriferous and odorous.

  • Deodorants, perfumes and aftershaves are all odorants, products emitting a scent or smell.
  • Three weeks into the summer garbage strike, the air was positively odoriferous (or odorous).