Stinkers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person or thing that is particularly unpleasant or offensive in some manner
2. An informal term referring to someone who behaves poorly or annoyingly
3. Describing anything that produces a strong, disagreeable odor or causes irritation

Etymology: "Stinkers" is the plural of "stinker," a noun formed from the verb "stink" with the agent suffix "-er," meaning one that performs the action. The verb "stink" comes from Old English "stincan," which meant to emit a smell, good or bad, a sense it still held in older English before it narrowed to unpleasant odours. The suffix has a longer journey. It descends from a very old Indo-European pattern, passed through Latin "-arius," which denoted a person connected with a trade or role, and reached English through Old French "-ier" and Middle English "-er." That is why so many English agent nouns, from "baker" to "teacher," share the same ending. Used of people, "stinker" is an informal way of naming someone whose behaviour is contemptible or irritating, so a mean trick or a rotten exam can each earn the label. The plural therefore calls a group of such people stinkers, applying the same blunt metaphor of foulness to conduct rather than smell.

Synonyms: smelly ones, malodorous ones, foul-smelling ones

Antonyms: pleasant ones, fragrant ones