Meaning & use
eau de parfum
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountable
A type of perfume with a fairly high concentration of fragrant oils, typically lasting several hours on the skin.
Grammar: Can be used with an or a when referring to a particular bottle or product, or without an article when talking about the substance in general.
Patterns
- a bottle of eau de parfum
- wear eau de parfum
- spray on eau de parfum
She prefers eau de parfum because it lasts longer than eau de toilette.
This eau de parfum has notes of jasmine and vanilla.
He bought a bottle of eau de parfum for his mother's birthday.
Common combinations
- a bottle of eau de parfum
- I received a bottle of eau de parfum as a gift.
- wear eau de parfum
- She wears eau de parfum only on special occasions.
- spray on eau de parfum
- He sprayed on some eau de parfum before the party.
- eau de parfum spray
- The eau de parfum spray is easy to carry in a handbag.
Synonyms and how they differ
- perfume
- Perfume is a general term for any fragrant liquid; eau de parfum is a specific strength of perfume.
- fragrance
- Fragrance is a broader word that can refer to any pleasant smell, including from flowers or food, not just a bottled product.
- scent
- Scent can mean a smell in general or a perfume; eau de parfum is always a type of manufactured perfume.
Commonly confused: eau de parfum or eau de toilette? eau de parfum or parfum?
eau de parfum vs eau de toilette
Eau de toilette has a lower concentration of fragrant oils and is lighter and less long-lasting than eau de parfum.
eau de parfum vs parfum
Parfum (or pure parfum) has the highest concentration and is usually the most expensive and longest-lasting form.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'eau de parfum' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 3 correctly uses 'eau de parfum' as a type of perfume that lasts a long time. Option 1 is grammatically fine but doesn't show the meaning. Option 2 is also grammatical but doesn't test the meaning. Option 4 confuses 'eau de parfum' with a natural scent from flowers.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “eau de parfum”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.