Potpourri

/ˌpoʊpuˈri/ noun

Definition

A mixture of dried flowers and spices used to scent a room; or any miscellaneous collection of things.

Etymology

From French 'pot pourri,' literally meaning 'rotten pot.' It combines 'pot' and 'pourri' (rotten/spoiled). Originally, it was a stew of mixed meats; the flower-scent meaning developed later. The name is ironic since the mixture smells pleasant.

Kelly Says

Potpourri literally means 'rotten pot' in French—someone made a weird smell-generating stew, discovered it smelled good, and now we use that silly name for air fresheners!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.