musty

musty — adjective

1. having an unpleasant, stale smell caused by dampness or mold, like the smell of

1.形容詞B2
釋義

having an unpleasant, stale smell caused by dampness or mold, like the smell of old books kept in a basement or a room that has been closed for too long without fresh air.

例句

When Diya opened her grandmother's attic suitcase, a musty smell of mothballs drifted out.

musty smell of [noun] — pattern describing a smell source

The basement had a musty odor that no amount of air freshener could cover up.

musty odor — common collocation

同義詞
  • moldy

    emphasizes visible mold or mildew on a surface rather than just the smell

  • stale

    broader term for air lacking freshness, not specific to dampness

  • fusty

    chiefly British, nearly identical in meaning but less common

  • mildewed

    more specifically about mildew fungus, often with visible patches

反義詞
  • fresh

    clean-smelling and airy, the direct opposite of musty

  • airy

    well-ventilated and open, unlike a musty enclosed space

文法句型

musty + noun (attributive)

be/smell/become + musty (predicative)

用法筆記

Frequently used with nouns related to smell or atmosphere: 'smell,' 'odor,' 'scent,' 'air,' 'room,' 'basement,' 'attic.' Unlike 'moldy,' which can describe visible mold growth, 'musty' primarily describes an odor or environment. Can be used in either attributive position ('a musty basement') or predicative position ('the basement smells musty').

常見錯誤

❌The bread in the fridge has gone musty.
✅The bread in the fridge has gone moldy.
💡'Musty' describes an unpleasant smell from damp or stale air, not the visible growth of mold on food.