plural noun
historical A pungent substance sniffed as a restorative in cases of faintness or headache, typically consisting of ammonium carbonate mixed with perfume.
‘She took a deep sniff of her smelling salts. ‘I've been worried sick!’’
- ‘With a sputtering cough, Cyrus was jerked back into consciousness, the acrid ammonia fumes of the smelling salts under his nose doing their job.’
- ‘Kodi's eyes snapped open as he fell into a coughing fit caused by the ammonia in the smelling salts.’
- ‘Alex was waving some smelling salts in front of her face.’
- ‘Several maids were trying to revive her with smelling salts.’