Malodorous
adjective /mælˈəʊdərəs/ — Smelling very unpleasant — and by extension, morally suspect.
Definition
Smelling very unpleasant; having an offensive odor; (informal) morally offensive or corrupt.
Beyond the definition
Malodorous does double work — the literal unpleasant smell and the moral application (a malodorous deal, a malodorous arrangement). The metaphor is very old: corruption and bad smell have always been associated. The moral sense came free with the olfactory one.
Origin & history
From Latin malus (bad) + odor (smell). The bad smell — named simply and directly. Bad + smell = the word.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The disclosure revealed a malodorous chain of transactions that had seemed legitimate from a distance.
The physical space was malodorous; so, she discovered, was the business that occupied it.
Some words do extra work: malodorous names the smell and implies the character simultaneously.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Malodorous” when the meaning fits your context: Smelling very unpleasant; having an offensive odor; (informal) morally offensive or corrupt.
Synonyms
fetid, putrid, rank, reeking, stinking
Antonyms
fragrant, sweet-smelling, wholesome
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
Dignified Deteriorating Chair
A wooden chair on the forest floor is covered in moss and mushrooms, slowly breaking down into the damp earth.
The chair in its state of decay represents a malodorous condition, as the rotting wood and fungi are associated with the offensive, putrid smells of organic decomposition. This visualizes the process of material breakdown that is naturally linked to decay.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Malodorous" mean?
Malodorous is adjective meaning: Smelling very unpleasant — and by extension, morally suspect.. Smelling very unpleasant; having an offensive odor; (informal) morally offensive or corrupt.
Where does the word "Malodorous" come from?
From Latin malus (bad) + odor (smell). The bad smell — named simply and directly. Bad + smell = the word.