odorous
UK: ˈəʊdərəs | US: ˈoʊdərəs
adj. having a strong or unpleasant smell
adj. relating to or emitting an odor
odorous = odor<smell> + ous<adjective suffix>
- odor (from Latin odor meaning "smell, scent")
- ous (suffix forming adjectives, from Latin -osus, indicating "full of" or "possessing the quality of")
Etymology Origin:
The word "odorous" traces back to Latin odor (smell) combined with the adjectival suffix -osus (full of). It entered Middle English via Old French odoreus, retaining its core meaning of "having a smell." The suffix -ous systematically converts nouns into adjectives (e.g., "dangerous," "glorious"). The logic is straightforward: odor + -ous = "full of smell." Over time, the term specialized to often imply a strong or unpleasant odor, though it can be neutral.
The kitchen became odorous after frying fish.
The flowers were delightfully odorous in the spring breeze.
The chemical spill left an odorous trail in the lab.
His socks were so odorous that they needed immediate washing.
The trash bin grew increasingly odorous in the summer heat.