redolent

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adjective red·o·lent \ -lənt \

Definition of redolent

1 :exuding fragrance :aromatic

2 a :full of a specified fragrance :scented

air redolent of seaweed

b :evocative, suggestive

a city redolent of antiquity

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redolently

adverb

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Examples of redolent in a Sentence

my grandmother's house always seemed to be redolent with the aroma of baking bread

Recent Examples of redolent from the Web

Topped with a ridiculously runny, over-easy egg and with a generous amount of tofu mixed in, the earthy, redolent rice had great texture.

— anna caplan, star-telegram, "Pandan Thai spices up Burleson dining scene, and brings the heat," 16 Aug. 2017
The boots today are still redolent of 2,000 miles of toil.

— abigail tucker, Smithsonian, "The Army Veteran Who Became the First to Hike the Entire Appalachian Trail," 27 June 2017
But one bite into them reveals a depth of flavor in a masa redolent with sweet ground corn, which Linquist complements with stewed chicken and a poblano sauce.

— carlos frías, miamiherald, "Toasted grasshoppers and corn fungus: This Mexican spot skips the taco trend," 11 May 2017
After all, the president came into office a brand: one that, in his billowing navy suits and too-long power ties, his signature blond comb-over and fake tan, was redolent of ersatz 1980s nostalgia.

— vanessa friedman, New York Times, "100 Days of Trump Style," 29 Apr. 2017
The molten Gruyere — placed in a ceramic bowl on a wire rack over a flaming tea candle — is redolent of white wine, cherry schnapps and garlic on the backbeat.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "Angell’s-Renato restaurant finds its groove with return of chef," 27 Apr. 2017
Tessier’s mouthcoating, full-bodied viognier is redolent with heady peach, apricot and honeysuckle notes.

— mary orlin, The Mercury News, "Seven lovely wines for spring," 22 Apr. 2017
Ginobili, who has played for the Spurs since 2002, is the N.B.A. player whose game is most redolent of silent-movie comedians.

— thomas beller, The New Yorker, "The Spurs, the Grizzlies, and the Pleasures of the Old Man Game," 20 Apr. 2017
The Winds of Winter are more redolent of hot dogs and stale beer than one might imagine.

— jeremy egner, New York Times, "‘Game of Thrones’ Live: Winter Is Coming to a Stage Near You," 8 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'redolent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Redolent traces back to the Latin verb olēre ("to smell") and is a relative of "olfactory" ("of, relating to, or connected with the sense of smell"). In its earliest English uses in the 15th century, "redolent" simply meant "having an aroma." Today, it usually applies to a place or thing impregnated with odors. It can also be used of something that reminds us of something else or evokes a certain emotional response, as in "a city redolent of antiquity."

Origin and Etymology of redolent

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin redolent-, redolens, present participle of redolēre to emit a scent, from re-, red- + olēre to smell — more at odor

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First Known Use: 15th century

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redolent Synonyms

Synonyms

ambrosial, aromatic, perfumed, fragrant, savory (also savoury), scented, sweet

Antonyms

fetid, foul, malodorous, noisome, putrid, rancid, rank, reeking, reeky, skunky, smelly, stenchful, stenchy, stinking, stinky, strong

Related Words

flowery, fruity, pungent, spicy; odiferous, odored, odoriferous, odorous; clean, fresh, pure

Near Antonyms

odorless, unscented; fusty, musty, stale; gamy (or gamey)

Synonym Discussion of redolent

odorous, fragrant, redolent, aromatic mean emitting and diffusing scent. odorous applies to whatever has a strong distinctive smell whether pleasant or unpleasant.