olfactory

This term is predominantly clinical and scientific, used in medical textbooks, biology labs, or fragrance chemistry. It lacks the poetic or sensory warmth of words like scented or aromatic, instead focusing on the biological mechanism of detection.

In a social context, using this word can make a speaker sound overly formal or precise. While someone might say a room smells like vanilla in a casual conversation, a scientist would describe the olfactory stimulation triggered by the vanillin molecules.