different between stinky vs malodorous

English

Etymology

From Middle English stinky, stynky, equivalent to stink +? -y. Compare Dutch stinkig (“stinky, foul, rotten”), German stinkig (“stinky”), Hunsrik stinkich.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?st??ki/
• Rhymes: -??ki

Adjective

stinky (comparative stinkier or more stinky, superlative stinkiest or most stinky)

1. Having a strong, unpleasant smell; stinking.
2. (informal) Bad, undesirable.
   • 1991, Theresa P. Gladden, Romancing Susan,^[1] Bantam Books, ?ISBN, page 37,

     […] she walked over to the table and switched off the Walkman as she sat down.

     “Hey!” Nikki yelped. “That was a stinky thing to do. That was my favorite song.”

   • 2003, Betty Levin, Shoddy Cove,^[2] HarperCollins, ?ISBN, page 151,

     “School all year round.” The father groaned. “What a good idea.”

     “Stupid, stinky idea,” a child remarked from across the room.

   • 2007, Aletha V. Smithson, “Pacifier Breaking” (poem), in As He Was Known,^[3] AuthorHouse, ?ISBN, page 172,

     The binky drifted up and far away,

     To the man in the moon, I heard them say;

     A cute idea but a rotten stinky plan.

Derived terms

• stinkily
• stinkiness

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• malodourous

Etymology

mal- +? odorous

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?mæl???.d?.??s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?mæl?o?.d?.??s/

Adjective

malodorous (comparative more malodorous, superlative most malodorous)

1. Having a bad odor.

   There were tons of malodorous garbage bags outside her house.

2. (figuratively) Highly improper.

Synonyms

• (having a bad odor): foul, putrid, smelly, stinky, stenchy, fetid, funky, noisome, reeky, reeking, stinking, mephitic, foul-smelling, rank, rotten, smelly, vile, offensive; see also Thesaurus:malodorous

Antonyms

• (having a good odor): fragrant

Related terms

• malodor
• malodorously
• malodorousness

Translations