Word Confusion: Cent vs Scent vs Sense vs Sent

Posted November 20, 2014 by Kathy Davie in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

Revised as of
29 June 2023

Pinterest pin for Cent vs Scent vs Sense vs Sent

For just fifty cents, I can get a scent sample sent to me to sooth my senses.

Cent is a coin.

The last word, sent, is primarily used as a verb — past tense and past participle — to transmit, discharge, or conveyed, in general.

The two middle words — scent and sense — are so close in how they sound and both have to do with the sense of smell.

Of course, while scent is strictly to do with the sense of smell, senses incorporates other senses besides smell: taste, touch, hearing, and sight. Some believe we have a sixth sense, a psychic sense, one which has little to do with the other three words. I suppose a psychic sense could have a tweak to it that allowed one to send the supernatural on their way. If you believe that sort of thing.

You may also want to explore this compound word post “Common Sense versus Commonsense“, “Cent vs Scent vs Sense vs Sent“, “Censer vs Censor vs Sensor“, and/or “Sense versus Since“.

Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

If you found this post on “Cent vs Scent vs Sense vs Sent” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.

Return to top

Cent	Scent	Sense	Sent
Penny, Pennies, Coins, Copper by Jon Sullivan is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. — Even cents will add up to something.	Joy by Jean Patou by Sarchi (Flickr) is under the CC-BY-2.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. — Ah, the scent of Joy . . .	Monk Tasting Wine From a Barrel by Pieter Kuiper is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. — Drinking is one of the senses.	Air Mail Letter Card, 1943, by Royal Mail.JPKos at en.wikipedia is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. — Someone sent it.
Part of Grammar:
Noun Plural: cents	Noun ¹; Verb ², intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: scents Gerund: scenting Third person present verb: scents Past tense or past participle: scented Present participle: scenting	Noun ¹; Verb, transitive ² Plural for the noun and third person present verb: senses Past tense or past participle: sensed Gerund or present participle: sensing	Morpheme: send Noun; Verb, intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: sent senti (coins) Gerund: sending Third person present verb: sends Past tense and past participle: sent Present participle: sending
A bronze coin of the U.S., the 100th part of a U.S. dollar Symbol: ¢ The 100th part of the monetary units of various other nations, including Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, New Zealand, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda [Informal] A small sum of money [In singular with negative; informal] Used for emphasis to denote any money at all [Music] One hundredth of a half step A monetary unit of certain European Union countries, the 100th part of a euro	Noun: A distinctive odor, especially when agreeable ¹ An odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced A track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor Perfume The sense of smell Small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds Verb, intransitive: To hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound ² Verb, transitive: To perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell ² [Usually be scented with] Impart a pleasant scent to Discern by the sense of smell Sense the presence, existence, or imminence of Sniff the air	Noun: Any of the faculties, as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch, by which humans and animals perceive stimuli originating from outside or inside the body ¹ Their operation or function Sensation A feeling or perception produced through the organs of touch, taste, etc., or resulting from a particular condition of some part of the body A faculty or function of the mind analogous to sensation Any special capacity for perception, estimation, appreciation, etc. [Usually, senses] Clear and sound mental faculties Sanity Verb, transitive: To perceive something by the senses ² Become aware of To grasp the meaning of Understand [Of certain mechanical devices] To detect physical phenomena, as light, temperature, radioactivity, etc., mechanically, electrically, or photoelectrically [Computers] To read (punched holes, tape, data, etc.) mechanically, electrically, or photoelectrically	Noun: A coin of Estonia until the euro was adopted, the 100th part of a kroon Verb, intransitive: To dispatch a messenger, agent, message, etc. [Electricity] To transmit a signal Verb, transitive: To cause, permit, or enable to go To send a messenger To cause to be conveyed or transmitted to a destination To order, direct, compel, or force to go To direct, propel, or deliver to a particular point, position, condition, or direction To emit, discharge, or utter (usually followed by off, out, or through) To cause to occur or befall [Electricity] To transmit a signal [Electricity] To transmit (an electromagnetic wave or the like) in the form of pulses
Examples:
The American cent was made of steel during part of 1943. A nickel is worth five cents. So put your two cents in, if you’re so smart. She saved every cent possible. He hadn’t yet earned a cent. Twelve-tone equal temperament divides the octave into 12 semitones of 100 cents each.	Noun: I adore the scent of roses. The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped. The classic scents are Chanel No. 5, Joy, L’Air du Temps, Shalimar, and Miss Dior. There was a scent in the air that revved up his appetite. He left a remarkably keen scent. He’s laying a scent trail. Verb, intransitive: The bloodhound is scenting the trail. Verb, transitive: He can scent trouble. The glass of tea was scented with lemon balm. A shark can scent blood from well over half a mile away. He was a commander who scented victory. The bull advanced, scenting the breeze at every step.	Noun: My sense of smell is out of whack. People have no idea how much they rely on their five senses. She has an intense sense of cold. He has no moral sense. She hasn’t a sense of humor. Have you taken leave of your senses? Verb, transitive: Yes, I . . . I sense what you mean. The early computers sensed the holes and their arrangement in punch cards which was interpreted as data.	Noun: The first coins of this currency were issued, nickel-bronze 25 senti pieces (Estonian). Verb, intransitive: The ship’s radio sends on a special band of frequencies. Verb, transitive: They can send a messenger. Will you send a letter? The president sent troops to Asia. He sent a hard punch to the jaw. The punch sent the fighter reeling. The lion sent a roar through the jungle. The people beseeched Heaven to send peace to their war-torn village.
Derivatives:
	Adjective: nonscented, overscented, scentless Noun: scentlessness Verb, transitive: outscent	Adjective: half-sensed, unsensed, unsensing Noun: sensation	Adjective: sendable
Phrasal Verb
			send away for send for send off for send out for something send someone down [British]send someone off send someone up send something in send something off send something on send something out send something up
History of the Word:
The first known use was between 1325–75. Middle English from the Latin centēsimus meaning hundredth (by shortening), equivalent to centum, which stands for 100 (see hundred) + -ēsimus ordinal suffix.	The first known use was between 1325–75. Middle English, derivative of the verb Cf. sense. Earlier sent, Middle English senten from the Middle French sentir meaning to smell from the Latin sentīre meaning to feel.	The first known use was between 1350–1400. Middle English from the Latin sēnsus meaning sensation, feeling, understanding, and equivalent to sentīre meaning to feel + -tus suffix of verb action. Derivative of the noun.	The first known use was before 900. Middle English senden, Old English sendan. It relates to the German senden, Gothic sandjan (causative) from the Germanic base *sinth-, *santh- meaning go, whence Old English sīth meaning journey, sand meaning message, messenger.

Cent

Scent

Sense

Sent

Penny, Pennies, Coins, Copper by Jon Sullivan is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

—

Even cents will add up to something.

Joy by Jean Patou by Sarchi (Flickr) is under the CC-BY-2.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons.

—

Ah, the scent of Joy . . .

Monk Tasting Wine From a Barrel by Pieter Kuiper is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

—

Drinking is one of the senses.

Air Mail Letter Card, 1943, by Royal Mail.JPKos at en.wikipedia is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

—

Someone sent it.

Part of Grammar:

Noun

Plural: cents

Noun ¹;
Verb ², intransitive & transitive

Plural for the noun: scents
Gerund: scenting

Third person present verb: scents
Past tense or past participle: scented
Present participle: scenting

Noun ¹;
Verb, transitive ²

Plural for the noun and third person present verb: senses
Past tense or past participle: sensed
Gerund or present participle: sensing

Morpheme: send

Noun;
Verb, intransitive & transitive

Plural for the noun:

sent
senti (coins)

Gerund: sending

Third person present verb: sends
Past tense and past participle: sent
Present participle: sending

A bronze coin of the U.S., the 100th part of a U.S. dollar

Symbol: ¢

The 100th part of the monetary units of various other nations, including Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, New Zealand, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda

[Informal] A small sum of money
[In singular with negative; informal] Used for emphasis to denote any money at all

[Music] One hundredth of a half step

A monetary unit of certain European Union countries, the 100th part of a euro

Noun:
A distinctive odor, especially when agreeable ¹

An odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced

A track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor

Perfume

The sense of smell

Small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds

Verb, intransitive:
To hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound ²

Verb, transitive:
To perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell ²

[Usually be scented with] Impart a pleasant scent to

Discern by the sense of smell

Sense the presence, existence, or imminence of
Sniff the air

Noun:
Any of the faculties, as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch, by which humans and animals perceive stimuli originating from outside or inside the body ¹

Their operation or function

Sensation

A feeling or perception produced through the organs of touch, taste, etc., or resulting from a particular condition of some part of the body

A faculty or function of the mind analogous to sensation

Any special capacity for perception, estimation, appreciation, etc.

[Usually, senses] Clear and sound mental faculties

Sanity

Verb, transitive:
To perceive something by the senses ²

Become aware of

To grasp the meaning of

Understand

[Of certain mechanical devices] To detect physical phenomena, as light, temperature, radioactivity, etc., mechanically, electrically, or photoelectrically

[Computers] To read (punched holes, tape, data, etc.) mechanically, electrically, or photoelectrically

Noun:
A coin of Estonia until the euro was adopted, the 100th part of a kroon

Verb, intransitive:
To dispatch a messenger, agent, message, etc.

[Electricity] To transmit a signal

Verb, transitive:
To cause, permit, or enable to go

To send a messenger

To cause to be conveyed or transmitted to a destination

To order, direct, compel, or force to go

To direct, propel, or deliver to a particular point, position, condition, or direction

To emit, discharge, or utter (usually followed by off, out, or through)

To cause to occur or befall

[Electricity] To transmit a signal

[Electricity] To transmit (an electromagnetic wave or the like) in the form of pulses

Examples:

The American cent was made of steel during part of 1943.

A nickel is worth five cents.

So put your two cents in, if you’re so smart.

She saved every cent possible.

He hadn’t yet earned a cent.

Twelve-tone equal temperament divides the octave into 12 semitones of 100 cents each.

Noun:
I adore the scent of roses.

The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped.

The classic scents are Chanel No. 5, Joy, L’Air du Temps, Shalimar, and Miss Dior.

There was a scent in the air that revved up his appetite.

He left a remarkably keen scent.

He’s laying a scent trail.

Verb, intransitive:
The bloodhound is scenting the trail.

Verb, transitive:
He can scent trouble.

The glass of tea was scented with lemon balm.

A shark can scent blood from well over half a mile away.

He was a commander who scented victory.

The bull advanced, scenting the breeze at every step.

Noun:
My sense of smell is out of whack.

People have no idea how much they rely on their five senses.

She has an intense sense of cold.

He has no moral sense.

She hasn’t a sense of humor.

Have you taken leave of your senses?

Verb, transitive:
Yes, I . . . I sense what you mean.

The early computers sensed the holes and their arrangement in punch cards which was interpreted as data.

Noun:
The first coins of this currency were issued, nickel-bronze 25 senti pieces (Estonian).

Verb, intransitive:
The ship’s radio sends on a special band of frequencies.

Verb, transitive:
They can send a messenger.

Will you send a letter?

The president sent troops to Asia.

He sent a hard punch to the jaw.

The punch sent the fighter reeling.

The lion sent a roar through the jungle.

The people beseeched Heaven to send peace to their war-torn village.

Derivatives:

Adjective: nonscented, overscented, scentless
Noun: scentlessness
Verb, transitive: outscent

Adjective: half-sensed, unsensed, unsensing
Noun: sensation

Adjective: sendable

Phrasal Verb

send away for
send for
send off for
send out for something
send someone down [British]send someone off
send someone up
send something in
send something off
send something on
send something out
send something up

History of the Word:

The first known use was between 1325–75.

Middle English from the Latin centēsimus meaning hundredth (by shortening), equivalent to centum, which stands for 100 (see hundred) + -ēsimus ordinal suffix.

The first known use was between 1325–75.

Middle English, derivative of the verb Cf. sense.
Earlier sent, Middle English senten from the Middle French sentir meaning to smell from the Latin sentīre meaning to feel.

The first known use was between 1350–1400.

Middle English from the Latin sēnsus meaning sensation, feeling, understanding, and equivalent to sentīre meaning to feel + -tus suffix of verb action.
Derivative of the noun.

The first known use was before 900.

Middle English senden, Old English sendan.

It relates to the German senden, Gothic sandjan (causative) from the Germanic base *sinth-, *santh- meaning go, whence Old English sīth meaning journey, sand meaning message, messenger.

Return to top

C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.

Return to top

Resources for Cent vs Scent vs Sense vs Sent

Apple Dictionary.com

“Estonian Kroon.” Wikipedia.org. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonian_kroon>.

Return to top

Pinterest Photo Credits:

Packing and Crating by Airman 1st Class Alystria Maurer is in the public domain; Neus1 is LHOON’s own work under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license and Canadian Coins by Morgan (Flickr: 069.365 – March 10, 2010 (356 (Y2)) is under the CC BY 2.0 license, both via Wikimedia Commons; and, Shalimar by Sheila in Moonducks is under the CC BY 2.0 license, via VisualHunt.

« Book Review: Katherine Hall Page’s Small Plates

Book Review: Cornelia Read’s Invisible Boy »