Word.ws English Dictionary

smell-o-vision

Syllables: smell-o-vis·ion/ˈsmɛləˌvɪʒən/

smell-o-vision noun: a (supposed) technology consisting of cinematography with the addition of olfaction, often portrayed as far-fetched or futuristic.

Noun (1)

smell-o-vision (uncountable)

  1. (humorous) A (supposed) technology consisting of cinematography with the addition of olfaction, often portrayed as far-fetched or futuristic.
    • "Magnificent!" shouted our supercritical photographer as he leveled his eye at this picture [of a ham]. […] Perhaps "smell-o-vision" is needed to enjoy fully this Easter treat. Or, better still, taste SUNNYFIELD HAM yourself—either smoked or cooked ready-to-eat.1942 March 30, “We Disagree with the Photographer! [advertisement]”, in Henry R[obinson] Luce, editor, Life, volume 12, number 13, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 74...
    • SMELLEVISION REPLACES TELEVISION! Carl Stalling sez, "It will never work!"1944 October 28, Michael Sasanoff; Bob Clampett, director, “The Old Grey Hare”, in Merrie Melodies, Burbank, Calif.: Warner Bros. Pictures; Vitaphone Corporation, →OCLC
    Synonyms:
    smellies

Proper noun (1) capitalized: Smell-o-vision

Smell-o-vision

  1. (rare) Alternative letter-case form of Smell-O-Vision.
    • At the end of the 1950s, filmmakers experimented with Aromarama and Smell-o-vision. […] Smell-o-vision followed soon after. This time the smells came from vents beneath the cinema seats. It was used for a 1959 film entitled A Scent of Mystery. At best failing to work and at worst making members of...2022, Susan Stewart, “The Twentieth Century: Cinema, Haute Couture and Celebrity Scents”, in Common and Uncommon Scents: A Social History of Perfume, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing...

Noun (2) capitalized: Smell-o-vision

Smell-o-vision (uncountable)

  1. (rare) Alternative letter-case form of smell-o-vision.
    • So, until Netscape comes up with Smell-o-vision, reading about and looking at food on the Web will have to stave off those hunger pains.1999, Nora Paul, Margot Williams, “Food Resources on the Web”, in Paula J. Hane, editor, Great Scouts! Cyberguides for Subject Searching on the Web, Medford, N.J.: CyberAge Books, Information Today...

Proper noun (2) capitalized: Smell-O-Vision

Smell-O-Vision

  1. (historical) A system that choreographed the release of odors into a movie theater during the projection of a film.
    • […] John Livadary […] is en route to Rome to commence the score recording for "The Scent of Mystery,"^([sic]) new Mike Todd Enterprises pic production. The recording will be made via the new 35 mm. magnetic tape. The picture also introduces a new process, known as "Smell-O-Vision."1959 September 28, “Two Everest Teams to Cut in Europe”, in Paul Ackerman [et al.], editor, The Billboard: The Amusement Industry’s Leading Newsweekly, volume 71, number 39, Cincinnati, Oh.: The...
    • Yes, Smell-O-Vision is here. Film makers have toyed with ways to add smell to sight and sound in movies for years. Now Michael Todd Jr. thinks he has the answer. He's chosen the name purposely, he says, "to get the jump on those who will call it that anyway." The new process will perfume the film...1959 November, “… Have You Heard …?”, in Howard Allaway, editor, Popular Science, volume 175, number 5, New York, N.Y.: Popular Science Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 20

Examples of smell-o-vision in a sentence

  • Black-and-white, then color TV and pretty soon smell-o-vision—that's progress.1966 March, Joseph A. Brunton, Jr., “A Few Words from the Chief: ‘Is the Good Turn Obsolete?’”, in Robert Hood, editor, Boys’ Life: The...
  • The film includes some marvelous 3-D special effects as well as flashing lights, a bubblemaker, smell-o-vision, and a surprise from the skies as well as a live actor and a cannon.1994, Corey Sandler, Econoguide 1995: Walt Disney World, Epcot and Universal Studios Florida, Chicago, Ill.: Contemporary Books, →ISBN...

Synonyms of smell-o-vision

Forms of smell-o-vision

Noun
alternative formsmellevision
alternative formSmell-o-vision
Proper noun
alternative formsmellovision
alternative formSmellovision
alternative formsmellavision
alternative formsmell-a-vision

Origin of smell-o-vision

From smell + -o- (interfix used for ease of pronunciation) + vision, probably popularized by Smell-O-Vision (proper noun) which was recoined in 1959 by Mike Todd Jr. (1929–2002), the American producer of the film Scent of Mystery (1960), as the name of the system invented by the Swiss scientist Hans Laube (1900–1976) used for the film. The term was possibly modelled after terms used in the motion picture industry such as Panavision (a company manufacturing cameras and lenses) and VistaVision (an early widescreen motion picture film format). The variant spelling smellevision is possibly a blend of smell + television.

From smell + -o- (interfix used for ease of pronunciation) + vision, recoined in 1959 by Mike Todd Jr. (1929–2002), the American producer of the film Scent of Mystery (1960) which used the Smell-O-Vision system invented by the Swiss scientist Hans Laube (1900–1976), possibly modelled after terms used in the motion picture industry such as Panavision (a company manufacturing cameras and lenses) and VistaVision (an early widescreen motion picture film format): see the November 1959 quotation.

Questions about smell-o-vision

What does smell-o-vision mean?
Smell-o-vision means a (supposed) technology consisting of cinematography with the addition of olfaction, often portrayed as far-fetched or futuristic.
How do you use smell-o-vision in a sentence?
Black-and-white, then color TV and pretty soon smell-o-vision—that's progress.
What part of speech is smell-o-vision?
Smell-o-vision can be a noun or a proper noun.
How do you pronounce smell-o-vision?
Smell-o-vision is pronounced /ˈsmɛləˌvɪʒən/ (UK).

Words near smell-o-vision in the dictionary

  1. smell-feasts
  2. smell-o-meter
  3. smell-o-meters
  4. smell-o-rama
  5. smell-o-ramas
  6. smell-o-vision
  7. smell-smock
  8. smell-smocks
  9. smellable
  10. smelled
  11. smelled a rat

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: smell-o-vision (page history and authors); Smell-o-vision (page history and authors); Smell-O-Vision (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-smell-o-vision.wav.

Cite this entry: “smell-o-vision.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/smell-o-vision. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.