User [dawnhunter](http://www.reddit.com/user/dawnhunter) of [Reddit](http://www.reddit.com/) [writes](http://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/2e57mx/in_the_word_scent_is_it_the_s_or_the_c_that_is/cjw7rw4) in the [/r/Showerthoughts/](http://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/) thread called [In the word "scent", is it the S or the C that is silent?](http://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/comments/2e57mx/in_the_word_scent_is_it_the_s_or_the_c_that_is/):

> Here's what a google search brings up:  

> late Middle English (denoting the sense of smell): from Old French sentir ‘perceive, smell,’ from Latin sentire . The addition of -c- (in the 17th century) is unexplained.

> So the c is silent and also shouldn't really be there.

Also, further down the thread, another comment says:

> The 'c' was probably added because that was the style at the time.

> Originally a hunting term. The -c- appeared 17c., perhaps by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science. This was a tendency in early Modern English, also in scythe and for a time threatening to make scite and scituate.

Stating [this entry at etymonline.com as the source](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=scent)