musty

  • 1Musty — Mus ty, a. [Compar. {Mustier}; superl. {Mustiest}.] [From L. mustum must; or perh. fr. E. moist. Cf. {Must}, n., {Moist}.] 1. Having the rank, pungent, offensive odor and taste which substances of organic origin acquire during warm, moist… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2musty — [adj1] stuffy, aged airless, ancient, antediluvian, antique, crumbling, dank, decayed, decrepit, dirty, dried out*, dry, fetid, filthy, frowzy*, malodorous, mildewed, mildewy, moldy, moth eaten*, noisome, old, putrid, rotten, smelly, spoiled,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 3musty — [mus′tē] adj. mustier, mustiest [< ? earlier moisty < MOIST] 1. having a stale, moldy smell or taste, as an unused room, food kept in a damp place, etc. 2. stale or trite; worn out; antiquated [musty ideas] 3. dull; apathetic mustily adv.… …

    English World dictionary

  • 4musty — index stale Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 5musty — (adj.) 1520s, perhaps a variant of moisty moist, damp (see MOIST (Cf. moist)). Related: Mustiness …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6musty — fusty, *malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, rancid Analogous words: *dirty, filthy, foul, nasty, squalid: sloppy, *slipshod, unkempt, slovenly …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 7musty — ► ADJECTIVE (mustier, mustiest) 1) having a stale or mouldy smell or taste. 2) unoriginal or outdated. DERIVATIVES mustiness noun. ORIGIN perhaps an alteration of moisty moist …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8musty — [[t]mʌ̱sti[/t]] ADJ GRADED Something that is musty smells old and damp. There are racks of musty clothing and piles of junk. ...that terrible musty smell. Syn: fusty …

    English dictionary

  • 9musty — adjective a musty room, house, or object has a damp and unpleasant smell, because it is old and has not had any fresh air for a long time: musty old books | the stale musty smell of the attic mustiness noun (U) …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10musty — UK [ˈmʌstɪ] / US adjective Word forms musty : adjective musty comparative mustier superlative mustiest smelling unpleasant and not fresh The room had a musty smell. Derived word: mustiness noun uncountable …

    English dictionary