Odiferous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /əʊˈdɪfəɹəs/

Definitions

1. Releasing a strong scent that can be considered unpleasant or offensive
2. Emitting an intense odor that is usually regarded as distasteful or foul
3. Giving off a strong smell that is often unwelcome or offensive

Etymology: "Odiferous" is a shortened form of "odoriferous," which itself is built from two Latin parts: "odor," meaning smell, and the suffix "-ferous," from "ferre," to bear or carry. Put together, the longer form literally meant "bearing a smell," a neutral description of anything that gave off an odour, pleasant or not. The shorter form keeps the same sense but has been strongly tilted toward the unpleasant. Where "odoriferous" could describe a rose garden as readily as a drain, the clipped version has come to sound like a complaint, which is why it is most often used for stinks rather than perfumes. The two words are close relatives sharing a root, but they have drifted to opposite ends of the smell spectrum in everyday use.

Synonyms: fragrant, aromatic, scented, perfumed, smelly

Antonyms: odorless, unscented, foul, stale, repugnant