Redolent
adjective /ˈred.ə.lənt/ — Strongly evocative of a smell or quality
Definition
Having a strong, characteristic smell — or more figuratively, strongly evocative or suggestive of something. A room can be redolent of old wood; a phrase can be redolent of another era.
Beyond the definition
The way smell crosses directly into memory and feeling. To be redolent is to carry an entire atmosphere in a fragrance.
Origin & history
From Latin 'redolere' (to emit a scent) — 're' (intensifier) + 'olere' (to smell). Something redolent emits smell continuously and strongly.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The attic was redolent of lavender and old paper — someone's whole life in one inhalation.
His manner was redolent of an earlier era when manners were a form of care.
The wine was redolent of dark fruit and rain — a smell that told you the story of its year.
Synonyms
Antonyms
odourless, inexpressive, bland
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
Scent of an Herb Garden
An adult brushes their hand through varied lush foliage in an herb garden, releasing aromatic scents into the warm, golden afternoon air.
This image represents redolent by visualizing how physical movement through plants releases a distinct fragrance. The act of brushing the herbs creates a sensory link between the environment and a memory or feeling, much like a scent suggests a particular time or place. It is a literal manifestation of sensory evocation rather than an abstract claim about smell's function in the brain.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration