Meaning & use
musky flavor
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Meaning
nouncountable or uncountable
a strong, earthy, slightly sweet and animal-like taste, often found in certain fruits, teas, or meats
Grammar: Can be countable ('a musky flavor') or uncountable ('a hint of musky flavor').
Patterns
- have a musky flavor
- a musky flavor of something
- with a musky flavor
The melon has a sweet, musky flavor that some people love and others dislike.
This tea is known for its musky flavor and dark color.
The meat had a slightly musky flavor, so the chef added lemon.
Word forms
| plural | musky flavors |
|---|
Common combinations
- a sweet, musky flavor
- The fruit has a sweet, musky flavor.
- a hint of musky flavor
- There is a hint of musky flavor in the aged tea.
- slightly musky flavor
- The duck was praised for its slightly musky flavor.
Synonyms and how they differ
- earthy flavor
- Earthy is more about soil and mushrooms; musky adds a warm, slightly animal note.
- gamey flavor
- Gamey is stronger and usually negative, describing meat that tastes like wild animals.
Opposites
Word family
- musk noun
- a strong-smelling substance used in perfume, the source of the idea of 'musky'
- muskiness noun
- the quality of smelling or tasting musky
Commonly confused: musky flavor or musty flavor?
musky flavor vs musty flavor
Musty means smelling of damp or old things, usually bad; musky is warmer and can be pleasant.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'musky flavor' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Musky flavor' describes a taste, so 'has a sweet, musky flavor' is correct. Option A confuses it with a sharp citrus taste, C uses the noun as an adjective without 'a', and D uses it as a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “musky flavor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.