musty smell
2
3.4
- noun
- /ˈmʌsti smɛl/
:
olor a moho
- The interior was exactly that nut-colored wood that is so typical of pensions, and a musty smell hung in the air, primarily caused by thick carpeting to which the obstinate dust of decades had clung.
- damp and musty smell
- musty smell of wet
- stale, musty smell
Examples
-
A musty smell, more organic than most scents aboard a human craft, permeated the room.
Fiction book (2000) -
His clothes were still wet, and there was now a musty smell to him.
Fiction book (1999) -
Oh, it's a very musty smell coming out of this bowl.
-
An old musty smell met us when we walked into her apartment.
Fiction book (2000) -
The musty smell of the bar had turned my stomach.
Fiction book (1990) -
The cellar had a musty smell.
Fiction book (1994) -
Petey unlocked the door of the cabin and pushed it open, releasing a dank, musty smell into the cold outside air.
Fiction book (2001) -
The musty smell of the books merges with the aroma of a kitchen full of broccoli quiche and chocolate shortbread.
Fiction book (2001) -
I sat, surrounded by fine linens and cottons with a sweet, musty smell woven through the fibers alongside the weft.
Fiction book (1994) -
When I entered the abandoned attic, a musty smell filled the air, revealing its age and neglect.
Synonyms
145
1.9
A strong or noticeable smell, often unpleasant like smoke
80
3.5
A very bad strong smell that makes you feel sick
2
2.8
Air that smells old and feels heavy
1
4.2
Air that smells stale and damp in a closed room
1
7.2
A stale, slightly moldy smell or taste in old damp things
1
7.2
A strong, very bad smell from sewage or rotten garbage
1
4.3
A strong unpleasant smell that makes people move away
A bad, stale smell from old, damp things
An unpleasant damp smell in places like basements or cellars
A stale, musty smell from old wood or damp rooms
A stale, musty smell in a room or object
A bad, stale smell or taste on food and in rooms that shows rot
A strong, unpleasant smell that is easy to notice
A strong, unpleasant smell that people dislike
A strong, nasty smell like rotten food that makes you feel sick
A very strong bad air that makes you think of rotting things or disease
Antonyms
How Musty
2
3.4
2
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'musty' names a characteristic odor (from age, dampness, or staleness) and 'smell' denotes an odor, so a learner who knows both words can infer the phrase. This simple adjective + noun pattern is common across languages and follows ordinary English composition, making the phrase immediately understandable to B1 learners.
Etymology
Musty smell The noun musty smell comes from the image of closed, damp places where musty means damp and old and the smell is the sour, 'stale' odor from mold or wet clothes. So, musty smell means the unpleasant odor of 'dampness' or old things.