Vocabulary / Word Lists for writers

smell descriptions

WORDS MIGHT REPEAT.

acidy

 acrid: pungent, bitter, food can acquire this quality when cooked over a wood fire.

Ambrosial - divine, sweet smelling, fragrant, aromatic.

Anosmic - odorless, no smell at all.

aromatic

balmy: having the pleasing fragrance of aromatic balm, mild, pleasant, gentle, soft and not pungent at all.

briny

burnt

damp

dank

earthy

fishy

Foul - unclean, dirty, stinking, rank, tainted, soiled, fetid, polluted - it does not smell clean and fresh.

Fetid - rotten, putrid, foul, rank, squalid, fusty, stinking, smelling, the moldy, decaying smell of decomposing food - it does not smell fresh

Fulsome - generous to excess, excessive, over the board - not mild and bland.

Gamy - having the distinctive fragrance of game, either the tangy smell that reminds of grass, forest and wild aromatic herbs in fresh game, or the rich, wet, slightly rank and stale smell in "ripe" game as it is usually held until it is slightly decomposed.

fragrant

fresh

gamy: having the distinctive fragrance of game, either the tangy smell that reminds of grass, forest and wild aromatic herbs in fresh game, or the rich, wet, slightly rank and stale smell in "ripe" game as it is usually held until it is slightly decomposed.

Heady - strongly aromatic, pungent, rich, intoxicating, spicy, piquant - not a mild smell.

gaseous

mildewed

moldy

musty

perfumed

piney

pungent

putrid

rancid

reek

rotten

savory

scented

sharp

sickly

sour

spicy

spoiled

stagnant

stench

stuffy : oppressive, stifling, hot, the aroma goes to your head - probably no fresh.

Malodorous - scented, aromatic, redolent, fragrant, stinking.

Muscadine - something with the sweet aroma of this type of grape.

Odoriferous - it has a strong smell.

tempting

antiseptic

bitter

burning

Choking

clean

delicious

fragrant

fresh

medicinal

musty

acidy

acrid

antiseptic

aromatic

balmy

biting

bitter

briny

burnt

citrusy

comforting

corky: smelling like cork.

damp

dank

distinctive

earthy

fishy

flowery

fragrant

fresh

fruity

gamy

gaseous

heavy

lemony

medicinal

metallic

mildewed

minty

moldy

musky

musty

odorless

peppery

perfumed

piney

pungent: it has a strong aroma, it is spicy, hot, heady, overpowering, maybe sharp or bitter, but certainly not bland. It could be forceful, biting, cutting, maybe caustic or slightly acetic, but certainly not mild.

Putrescent - fetid, a rotting smell, putrid, certainly smelly, stinking and worse. Nothing further from smelling sweet or a pleasant aroma.

Rancid - the stale smell of something past its sell by date, rank, off, sour, rotten - not fresh at all.

Rank - a pungent aroma leaning to the bad side, fetid, smelly, foul, stale, rancid - not soft, balmy and fresh.

Redolent - malodorous, stinking, fragrant, aromatic on the shady side but not unscented or odorless.

Savory - if the food is described as having a savory aroma the smell can be either spicy, pungent, flavorsome, and aromatic, salty but not sweet, or pleasant, nice, wholesome.

Putrid - fetid.

reek

rose

rotten

scented

sharp

sickly

skunky

smoky

sour

spicy

spoiled

stagnant

stench

stinking

sulphur

sweaty

tart

tempting

vinegary

woody

yeasty