musty

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈmʌsti/ UK /ˈmʌsti/ See IPA manual

Freq #29659

Meanings

1

adj
Affected by dampness or mould; damp, mildewed, mouldy.

[W]hẽ his wordes be wel ſifted, men ſhall find little fine flowre in thẽ, but all very muſtie branne, not worthy ſo muche as to fede either horſe or hogges.
2

adj
Having an odour or taste of mould; also (generally), having a stale or unfresh odour or taste.

Musty food musty furniture a musty odour.
3

adj
Characteristic of or relating to mould or mouldiness.

Not knowing what "swipes" might be, I thought I would run the risk and try it; but it proved a miserable beverage, with a musty, sour flavor, as if it had been a decoction of spoiled pickles.
4

adj
Of attitudes, ideas, writing, or other abstract things: no longer fresh or interesting; outdated, stale.

An antiquarie is an honest man, for he had rather scrape a piece of copper out of the durt, than a crowne out of Plodion's standish. I know manie wise gentlemen of this mustie vocation, […].

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · affected by dampness or... fusty

2 adj · having an odour or taste of... fusty

4 adj · of attitudes, ideas,... outmoded

Word family

Derived forms mustmustiedmustilymustiness

Simplified etymology

Musty, recorded from late Middle English, appears to be an alteration of moisty, which is also recorded from late Middle English. Despite its meaning, it apparently did not develop through the proposed Latin route associated with moist.

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English musty; further origin uncertain, possibly from one of the following: * From Anglo-Norman muste, moste, variants of moiste, muiste (“moist”), from Old French moiste (“clammy, damp, moist, wet”) (modern French moite (“muggy; sticky, sweaty”)), from a blend of Vulgar Latin *mucidus (from Latin mūcidus (“mouldy, musty”), from Old Latin mūceō (“to be mouldy or musty”) + -idus (suffix meaning ‘tending to’, forming adjectives)) + Latin mustum (“unfermented or partially fermented grape juice, must; new wine”) (from mustus (“fresh; young; unfermented”),...

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# musty

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈmʌsti/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmʌsti/
**Frequency rank:** 29659

## Meanings
1. Affected by dampness or mould; damp, mildewed, mouldy.
2. Having an odour or taste of mould; also (generally), having a stale or unfresh odour or taste.
3. Characteristic of or relating to mould or mouldiness.
4. Of attitudes, ideas, writing, or other abstract things: no longer fresh or interesting; outdated, stale.

## Examples
- [W]hẽ his wordes be wel ſifted, men ſhall find little fine flowre in thẽ, but all very muſtie branne, not worthy ſo muche as to fede either horſe or hogges.
- Musty food    musty furniture    a musty odour.
- Not knowing what "swipes" might be, I thought I would run the risk and try it; but it proved a miserable beverage, with a musty, sour flavor, as if it had been a decoction of spoiled pickles.
- An antiquarie is an honest man, for he had rather scrape a piece of copper out of the durt, than a crowne out of Plodion's standish. I know manie wise gentlemen of this mustie vocation, […].

## Derived Forms
- must
- mustied
- mustily
- mustiness

## Etymology
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English musty; further origin uncertain, possibly from one of the following: * From Anglo-Norman muste, moste, variants of moiste, muiste (“moist”), from Old French moiste (“clammy, damp, moist, wet”) (modern French moite (“muggy; sticky, sweaty”)), from a blend of Vulgar Latin *mucidus (from Latin mūcidus (“mouldy, musty”), from Old Latin mūceō (“to be mouldy or musty”) + -idus (suffix meaning ‘tending to’, forming adjectives)) + Latin mustum (“unfermented or partially fermented grape juice, must; new wine”) (from mustus (“fresh; young; unfermented”),...

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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