fetid

adjective

fet·​id ˈfe-təd 

especially British

ˈfē-tid 

: having a heavy offensive smell

a fetid swamp

fetidly adverb

fetidness noun

Synonyms of fetid

• stinking
• ripe
• malodorous
• foul
• reeking
• rotting
• smelly
• filthy
• disgusting
• stinky
• noisome
• rotted
• musty
• strong
• rotten
• fusty

Choose the Right Synonym for fetid

malodorous, stinking, fetid, noisome, putrid, rank, fusty, musty mean bad-smelling.

malodorous may range from the unpleasant to the strongly offensive.

malodorous fertilizers

stinking and fetid suggest the foul or disgusting.

prisoners were held in stinking cells

the fetid odor of skunk cabbage

noisome adds a suggestion of being harmful or unwholesome as well as offensive.

a stagnant, noisome sewer

putrid implies particularly the sickening odor of decaying organic matter.

the putrid smell of rotting fish

rank suggests a strong unpleasant smell.

rank cigar smoke

fusty and musty suggest lack of fresh air and sunlight, fusty also implying prolonged uncleanliness, musty stressing the effects of dampness, mildew, or age.

a fusty attic

the musty odor of a damp cellar

Examples of fetid in a Sentence

a fetid pool of water

the fetid odor of rotting vegetables

Recent Examples on the Web

Tired of the stale, fetid air looming over your apartment like a cloud? — Brad Bourque, Wired News, 31 Mar. 2026

All spoke about the inhumane conditions, from the fetid human waste to having to stand during the rain because there is nowhere to lie down. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025

The bleak tortures Ohm concocts for his characters are as vile as the Bilberry’s fetid jacuzzi. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

The evolutionary advantage of fetid roses was that their odor deterred animal herds that grazed in their habitat. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin foetidus, from foetēre to stink

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fetid

• fretted
• jetted
• netted
• petted
• sweated
• vetted
• wetted
• whetted
• abetted
• brevetted
• gazetted
• indebted

Kids Definition

fetid

adjective

fet·​id ˈfet-əd 

: having a strong unpleasant smell

fetidly adverb

fetidness noun

Medical Definition

fetid

adjective

fet·​id

variants also foetid

ˈfet-əd, especially British ˈfē-tid

: having a heavy offensive smell