Fumid

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Emitting a smoky or vaporous quality that can create a dense atmosphere
2. Characterized by a strong, unpleasant odor reminiscent of smoke or fumes that can affect the air quality
3. Giving off a visible cloud or mist similar to smoke ; possessing a harsh or acrid scent like that of burning material

Etymology: "Fumid" is a learned borrowing from Latin "fūmidus," meaning smoky or full of smoke, formed from "fūmus" (smoke) with the adjectival suffix "-idus." English speakers took it directly from Latin rather than inheriting it through French, which is why it looks so close to its source and carries a more technical, bookish tone than many everyday words for smoke. The English word keeps the Latin sense closely. Its two strands of meaning, a visible cloud or mist and a harsh, acrid smell like burning material, both follow from the Latin root for smoke, so the word describes smoke in its physical form and in its smell. Because it is a scholarly loan, it tends to appear in formal or literary writing rather than in ordinary speech.

Synonyms: smoky, foul

Antonyms: fresh, clean