सुगंध (sugandh)

noun A single core sense: a pleasant smell or fragrance, used mostly in slightly literary or elevated speech rather than everyday chatter. Also spelled सुगन्ध (sugandh) with the conjunct न्ध; both spellings are seen.
Sense 1 : fragrance, sweet smell
noun, feminine
Synonyms: खुशबू (khushboo), महक (mahak), खुशबु (khushbu, variant form)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet सुगंध (sugandh) on incense packets, in temple contexts (the scent of flowers or agarbatti offered to a deity), and in devotional or poetic descriptions of gardens -- it carries a slightly reverent, refined air compared to the everyday खुशबू (khushboo) you'd use for fresh रोटी (rotii) or a friend's perfume.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for खुशबू (khushboo) in everyday speech and save सुगंध (sugandh) for writing, poetry, or slightly formal descriptions (flowers, incense, perfume ads) -- using it in casual conversation about, say, food smelling good can sound a touch bookish. 2) सुगंध (sugandh) is specifically a *good* smell; it is not used for bad odors, unlike a more neutral word.
Sample Sentences:
मंदिर में फूलों की सुगंध फैली हुई थी। The fragrance of flowers had spread through the temple.
(mandir men phoolon kii sugandh phailii huii thii।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
बगीचे से गुलाब की सुगंध आ रही है। The fragrance of roses is coming from the garden.
(bagiiche se gulaab kii sugandh aa rahii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चंदन की सुगंध मन को शांत कर देती है। The fragrance of sandalwood calms the mind.
(chandan kii sugandh man ko shaant kar detii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर सुबह-सुबह अगरबत्ती जलाई जाए, तो पूरे घर में सुगंध फैल जाती है। If incense sticks are lit early in the morning, fragrance spreads through the whole house.
(agar subah-subah agarbattii jalaaii jaae, to poore ghar men sugandh phail jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
देवी की मूर्ति के चारों ओर एक दिव्य सुगंध व्याप्त थी। A divine fragrance pervaded all around the goddess's idol.
(devii kii moorti ke chaaron or ek divy sugandh vyaapt thii।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश इस कमरे में भी कमल जैसी सुगंध होती। If only this room too had a fragrance like the lotus.
(kaash is kamre men bhii kamal jaisii sugandh hotii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
पुजारी ने कहा कि यह सुगंध केवल पूजा के समय ही महसूस होती है। The priest said that this fragrance is felt only at the time of worship.
(pujaarii ne kahaa ki yah sugandh keval poojaa ke samay hii mahsoos hotii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
यह इत्र अपनी सुगंध के लिए दूर-दूर तक प्रसिद्ध है। This perfume is famous far and wide for its fragrance.
(yah itr apnii sugandh ke lie door-door tak prasiddh hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कवि ने रात की रानी की सुगंध का बड़ा ही सुंदर वर्णन किया है। The poet has described the fragrance of the night-blooming jasmine very beautifully.
(kavi ne raat kii raanii kii sugandh kaa badaa hii sundar varnan kiyaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): सुगंध (sugandh)
(sg.f.oblique): सुगंध (sugandh)
(pl.f.direct): सुगंधें (sugandhen)
(pl.f.oblique): सुगंधों (sugandhon)