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Oxygen dismal in air (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

odour

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'air' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both human attributes as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'oxygen dismal' is the wordplay.
'oxygen' becomes 'O' (O is the chemical symbol for oxygen).
'dismal' becomes 'dour' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'o'+'dour'='ODOUR'

'in' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for odour that I've seen before include "pervasive quality" , "Smell, scent" , "Regard" , "Small, aroma" , "Whiff" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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