fetid

(fĕt'ĭd, fē'tĭd) also foe·tid (fē'tĭd)
adj.
Having an offensive odor.

[Middle English, from Latin fētidus, from fētēre, to stink.]

fetidly fet'id·ly adv.
fetidness fet'id·ness n.

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meaning 'stinking', is normally pronounced fet-id, occasionally feet-id. The spelling fet-, rather than foet-, is now dominant.

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"'What they are in now is essentially a foetid drain with danger, with body parts, with ghastly circumstances. That is a very, very hard duty.'"

Thus did a British psychologist describe the challenges faced by the teams retrieving the bodies of those killed by the bombings in London in July 2005. Each participant in the effort was receiving special training and support, he said.

Link: Retrieving bodies is nightmare for London rescuers

Posted July 11, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

adjective

Having an unpleasant odor: foul, foul-smelling, malodorous, mephitic, noisome, reeky, stinking. Informal smelly. See smells/good smells/bad smells/smell.

adj

Definition: foul, rancid
Antonyms: aromatic, clean, fragrant, pure, sweet

IN BRIEF: Stinking.

The pond was often fetid during the warm weather of the summer.

Tutor's tip: Despite being "feted" (honored, often via a celebration) for your success, you may be "fated" (destined to end badly, doomed, predetermined) to be ridiculed if you wear "fetid" (smelling bad) clothing.

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Having a rank, disagreeable smell.

For a list of words related to fetid, see:

• Smells - fetid: (adj) having a strong, unpleasant smell; olid

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See words rhyming with "fetid."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - stinkende

Nederlands (Dutch)
stinkend

Français (French)
adj. - fétide, nauséabond

Deutsch (German)
adj. - übelriechend

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - δύσοσμος, δυσώδης

Italiano (Italian)
fetido

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - fedorento

Русский (Russian)
вонючий

Español (Spanish)
adj. - apestoso, maloliente, fétido, hediondo, pestilente

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - stinkande

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
有恶臭的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 有惡臭的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 악취를 풍기는

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 悪臭を放つ, 臭い

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) نتن , كريه الرائحه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מסריח‬

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