mephitic

[ muh-fit-ik ]

adjective

1. offensive to the smell.
2. noxious; pestilential; poisonous.

mephitic

/ mɪˈfɪtɪk /

adjective

1. poisonous; foul
2. foul-smelling; putrid

Derived Forms

• meˈphitically, adverb

Other Words From

• me·phiti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of mephitic¹

From the Late Latin word mephīticus, dating back to 1615–25. See mephitis, -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of mephitic¹

C17: from Late Latin mephīticus pestilential

Example Sentences

The Ivy League universities and their peer institutions are, for Will, the mephitic swamp from which most of what he detests in politics and culture emanates.

From Washington Post

They invariably come laden with words that seem meant to prove his vocabulary is bigger than yours: flocculent, crapulent, caducous, anaglypta, mephitic, velutinous.

From New York Times

Like a mephitic vapor from a sword-and-sandals epic, it slips under the door frame and into your head.

From New York Times

They have preferred instead to keep them in limbo, and stir their anger and understandable bitterness into a mephitic brew with which to fuel India’s dangerous and extremely effective nationalistic narrative about Kashmir.

From New York Times

Congress, attempting investigations, will be lost in the thick, mephitic cloud of scandal, dodging rogue tweets as they come in.

From Washington Post