Word of the Day
: February 3, 2013redolent
playWhat It Means
1 : exuding fragrance : aromatic
2 a : full of a specified fragrance : scented
b : evocative, suggestive
redolent in Context
The house was redolent with the aroma of baking bread.
"Clam chowder, redolent of sweet cream and thick with clams and diced carrots, was a hearty companion for the numerous panini (which can be made with gluten-free bread)." - From a restaurant review by Christina Mueller in the Marin Independent Journal, January 2, 2013
Did You Know?
"Redolent" traces back to the Latin verb "olēre" ("to smell") and is a relative of "olfactory" ("of, relating to, or connected with the sense of smell"). In its earliest English uses in the 15th century, "redolent" simply meant "having an aroma." Today, it usually applies to a place or thing impregnated with odors. It can also be used of something that reminds us of something else or evokes a certain emotional response, as in "a city redolent of antiquity."
Test Your Memory
What former Word of the Day begins with "q" and can refer to the most typical example or representative? The answer is ...