Fetid
adjective /ˈfɛtɪd/ — Having a strong, unpleasant smell — the nose's most unambiguous verdict.
Definition
Smelling extremely unpleasant; having a strong offensive odor; putrid.
Beyond the definition
Fetid is the precision word for bad smell — more specific than 'smelly', less casual than 'stinky'. It implies a biological origin: decay, rot, organic processes completing themselves. The fetid smell is the smell of something that has changed.
Origin & history
From Latin fetidus — stinking (from fetere: to stink). The word for the stench — named for the quality, not the source.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The alley was fetid in summer — heat and refuse combining into something the body recoiled from.
She used 'fetid' about the bureaucracy, and it was an accurate choice — something had stopped moving.
The distinction between pungent and fetid is the difference between strong and offensive.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Fetid” when the meaning fits your context: Smelling extremely unpleasant; having a strong offensive odor; putrid.
Synonyms
putrid, rancid, malodorous, rank, reeking
Antonyms
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Natural Decomposition Process
An old, wooden chair on the forest floor is overgrown with vines and fungi as it slowly returns to the earth.
The decomposition of the chair represents a fetid quality, as it involves the process of rotting or putrefaction that accompanies the return of organic matter to the soil. The sight of mushrooms and decay indicates the slow, natural breakdown of the material.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Fetid" mean?
Fetid is adjective meaning: Having a strong, unpleasant smell — the nose's most unambiguous verdict.. Smelling extremely unpleasant; having a strong offensive odor; putrid.
Where does the word "Fetid" come from?
From Latin fetidus — stinking (from fetere: to stink). The word for the stench — named for the quality, not the source.