Meaning & use
fetid
Last updated
UK/ˈfetɪd/
US/ˈfetɪd/
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Smelling extremely bad, usually of rot, decay or stale air.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: a fetid swamp. Also spelled foetid in British English.
The fetid water in the ditch attracted flies.
We held our noses against the fetid air of the cellar.
A fetid smell rose from the garbage.
Word forms
| comparative | more fetid |
|---|---|
| superlative | most fetid |
Common combinations
- fetid air
- The fetid air in the cave made us gag.
- fetid swamp
- They waded through a fetid swamp.
- fetid odor
- A fetid odor drifted from the pond.
- fetid breath
- The animal's fetid breath filled the room.
Synonyms and how they differ
- foul
- More general and common for anything unpleasant, not just smells.
- rank
- Suggests a strong, rotten smell, often of plants or animals.
- putrid
- Specifically describes the smell of rotting flesh or food.
- stinking
- Informal and blunt, with less of a literary tone.
Opposites
fragrantsweet-smelling
Word family
- fetidness noun
- the quality of smelling very bad
Commonly confused: fetid or fetish?
fetid vs fetish
A fetish is an object of obsessive attachment; it has nothing to do with smell.
Practice
The explorers entered a ___ cave where bats had lived for years.
Choose one answer.
Fetid means having a very bad smell, fitting a cave filled with bat waste. Fragrant is the opposite.
Make it your own
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