fetid

adjective

fet·​id ˈfe-təd 

especially British

ˈfē-tid 

: having a heavy offensive smell

a fetid swamp

fetidly adverb

fetidness noun

Synonyms

• foul
• frowsty [chiefly British]
• frowsy
• frowzy
• funky
• fusty
• malodorous
• musty
• noisome
• rank
• reeking
• reeky
• ripe
• smelly
• stenchy
• stinking
• stinky
• strong

Choose the Right Synonym for fetid

malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, fusty, musty mean bad-smelling.

malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells

the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic

the musty odor of a damp cellar

Examples of fetid in a Sentence

a fetid pool of water

the fetid odor of rotting vegetables

Recent Examples on the Web

His writing included warnings to distinguish between leeches: good (round and shiny) and bad (black or blue in color and found near fetid water). —Megan Cassidy-Welch, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025

During the previous effort, squalid and fetid camps grew on the border and were marred by gang violence. —Colleen Long, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025

Aside this was a pool — five or six feet long and almost as wide — of what appeared to be the same fetid liquid, congealed. —Ian Frisch, Curbed, 9 Jan. 2025

Sears does an excellent job with his role, capturing Johnny’s frenetic desperation to remain afloat in the clan’s fetid storm, but this critic, at least, wanted more for this character. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin foetidus, from foetēre to stink

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

fetid

adjective

fet·​id ˈfet-əd 

: having a strong unpleasant smell

fetidly adverb

fetidness noun

Medical Definition

fetid

adjective

fet·​id

variants also foetid

ˈfet-əd, especially British ˈfē-tid

: having a heavy offensive smell