Luktbårne

Luktbårne is a Norwegian compound adjective used to describe substances that carry or transmit an odor. In practical terms it refers to odour-bearing compounds that can be detected by the sense of smell when released into the air. The term is used mainly in contexts such as fragrance science, perfumery, and studies of food and beverage flavor, where attention is given to how odor travels through air to reach the nose.

Origin and form: The word combines lukt (odor) and bære (to carry) with the adjectival ending -ne, yielding a form that can modify nouns such as stoffer (substances) or forbindelser (compounds). It is a technical term that appears in Norwegian-language literature on smell and fragrance, and is less common in everyday speech.

Characteristics and applications: Luktbårne substances are typically volatile or semi-volatile, enabling them to evaporate at ambient temperatures and be transported by air currents. In perfumery and flavor science they include essential oil components, esters, terpenes, aldehydes, and alcohols. Such substances are distinguished by their ability to diffuse through air, contributing to perceived intensity and odor diffusion over distance.

Regional usage and notes: The term is mainly used in Norwegian-language texts; in other languages, similar ideas are described using phrases such as volatile aroma compounds or odorants. See also: olfaction, volatility, aroma compounds, perfumery.