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malodor

malodor

1 8.9
A strong unpleasant smell that people find offensive
  • noun
  • /ˈmælədər/
  • US
translation icon : mal olor
  • The malodor from the garbage made the whole street unpleasant to walk through.
  • oral malodor

Examples

  • Be prepared for this, and avoid malodors at your site at all costs.

    Academic text (1996)
  • So are you experiencing dental malodor?

    Blog text (34)
  • Standing water in certain areas, combined with grass windrows and high heat and humidity, resulted in malodors.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Get rid of the nuisance, the irritant—the malodors.

    Academic text (1996)
  • After the rain, the malodor of the wet soil filled the air.

  • The factory's waste led to a strong malodor, making it difficult for nearby residents to enjoy their gardens.

Synonyms

stink
vsmalodor
111 1.1

A very bad smell that people dislike

is a general unpleasant smell rather than especially intense
stench
vsmalodor
80 3.5

A very bad strong smell that makes you feel sick

is the broad idea of an unpleasant smell without intensity focus
reek
vsmalodor
8 6.1

A strong unpleasant smell like rotten food

is the basic notion of an unpleasant smell without that label
niff
vsmalodor
  • UK
1 9.9

An unpleasant strong smell that comes from old or dirty things

is the broad concept of an unpleasant or offensive smell overall
fetor
vsmalodor
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A strong bad smell that often shows illness or decay

covers unpleasant smell in general, not specifically disease related
stinkiness
vsmalodor
1 4.3

A strong unpleasant smell that makes people move away

refers to one unpleasant smell rather than the general quality
mephitis
vsmalodor
9.9

A strong, very bad smell that makes people feel sick

is general unpleasant smell not necessarily described as noxious
pestilential smell
vsmalodor
  • Literature
9.4

A very strong bad air that makes you think of rotting things or disease

is a plain unpleasant smell, not necessarily extreme or disease like
malodorousness
vsmalodor
8.9

A strong, unpleasant smell that is easy to notice

is the single unpleasant smell itself rather than the ongoing state
must
vsmalodor
  • Archaic
9.1

A bad, stale smell from old, damp things

is any unpleasant smell, not limited to stale or mouldy cases

Antonyms

83 2.6

A pleasant sweet smell from flowers or perfume

How Smelly

stench
80 3.5
reek
8 6.1
malodor
  • US
1 8.9
odor
  • US
145 1.9
smell
605 1.0
scent
165 1.0

Surface Forms

malodor singular
malodors plural

Morphology

malodor = odor (transparent) = mal + odor

The meaning is a straightforward negative prefix 'mal-' + 'odor' = 'bad smell', so the composition is directly interpretable.

Etymology

Malodor comes from the parts mal- ('bad') and odor ('smell'). So a malodor is a 'bad smell', which explains why we use it for an unpleasant or offensive smell.