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Extrait

Perfumery
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A highly concentrated perfume with richness, depth, and prolonged persistence.

Detailed Definition
Extrait refers to a richly concentrated perfume, often prized for its fullness and slow development on skin. In poetry, it can symbolize an experience reduced to its most potent form: a childhood distilled into one room, a marriage held in one garment, or a confession that continues releasing meaning. Unlike a quick impression, extrait invites patience, allowing the poem’s emotional substance to emerge gradually and remain after the surface has faded.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poet might call a nearly undiluted perfume an extrait to emphasize its density and lasting power; “The extrait darkened the velvet air” treats concentration as a quality of color and texture; In a poem about inheritance, a small bottle of extrait can symbolize luxury preserved across generations; The term allows poets to contrast a concentrated emotional memory with a fleeting impression.
Additional Notes
Extrait, also called parfum or perfume extract, contains a high proportion of aromatic materials and is often applied sparingly. It may feel denser, smoother, and more intimate than lighter formats, with substantial longevity. Actual concentration and performance vary considerably among houses.
Also Known As
Extrait de Parfum Perfume Extract
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