skunky

[ skuhng-kee ]

adjective

, skunk·i·er, skunk·i·est.

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a skunk:

   a skunky odor.

2. having a disagreeable or tainted character:

   beer with a skunky taste.

3. Informal. mean and nasty; contemptible.

Other Words From

• skunki·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of skunky¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; skunk + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Running along the trails that whipsaw through the oak forests of the Palo Alto hills , I was hit with a musky, skunky smell that made the hair on my neck stand up.

From Los Angeles Times

Cannabis is often bred for aroma, commonly skunky.

From National Geographic

Some are so skunky, staff at the local post office told Vanbianchi she could pick up her next delivery behind the building.

From Seattle Times

Outside the buildings, skunky VOC-laden exhaust can be a nuisance and perhaps unhealthful, especially for marginalized communities.

From Slate

As Monroe and I walked near it on a recent visit, we were hit by a wall of that unmistakable skunky odor, intermingled with fumes from nearby industrial workshops and freeways.

From Slate