Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
hircine

hircine

1 9.9
Having a strong smell like a goat
  • adjective
  • /ˈhɪrsaɪn/
  • Archaic
: hircino
  • Some cheeses are prized for their hircine flavors and aromas.

Examples

  • He described the hircine aroma wafting from the barn.

  • The sweater had a hircine smell after being stored in the barn for months.

  • His hircine beard and wild manner made him stand out in the crowd.

  • The hircine scent of the cheese was overwhelming.

  • The sweater had a hircine smell after being stored in the barn for months.

  • Some cheeses are prized for their hircine flavors and aromas.

  • He described the hircine aroma wafting from the barn.

Synonyms

goatlike
vshircine
1 3.4

Having a small beard, short horns, and a sure-footed way of moving

emphasizes a strong characteristic odor rather than just looks or movement
caprine
vshircine
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Relating to goats or looking like goats

is more focused on strong smell while this is broader and neutral
goaty
vshircine
1 8.2

Smelling, tasting, or looking like a goat

focuses on a strong characteristic odor rather than general resemblance

Antonyms

odorless
  • US
11 3.0

Not having any smell

Surface Forms

hircine positive

Morphology

hircine = hirc + ine

The root 'hirc-' is not a productive or recognizable English base for most learners, so the adjective cannot be reliably inferred from its parts.

Etymology

Hircine comes from the Latin hircus, which means 'goat'. Think of a goat's strong barn smell; that's why hircine means 'goat-like' or has a strong goat smell.