stench C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /stɛntʃ/ UK /stɛntʃ/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun a strong and very unpleasant smell The stench of rotting fish hung over the abandoned dock. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a strong and very... stinkreekodourfetormalodourpongwhiff ↔ Opposites fragranceperfumearomascent Word family Related forms stinkstinking Etymology AI details From Old English 'stenc', a smell or odour (originally neutral, later pejorative), from the same Germanic base as 'stink'. stenc Old English *stankwiz Proto-Germanic View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # stench **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /stɛntʃ/ **IPA (UK):** /stɛntʃ/ ## Meanings 1. a strong and very unpleasant smell ## Examples - The stench of rotting fish hung over the abandoned dock. ## Synonyms - stink - reek - odour - fetor - malodour - pong - whiff ## Antonyms - fragrance - perfume - aroma - scent ## Related Forms - stink - stinking ## Roots and Affixes - Root: stenc - Root: *stankwiz ## Etymology From Old English 'stenc', a smell or odour (originally neutral, later pejorative), from the same Germanic base as 'stink'. ## AI Etymology Stench is from Old English 'stenc', a smell or odour (originally neutral, later pejorative), from the same Germanic base as 'stink'. Important recorded forms include stenc (Old English) and *stankwiz (Proto-Germanic). The semantic development is already visible in the history: an older concrete or specialized use was extended into the modern meaning rather than replaced by a separate origin. In current use it covers a strong and very unpleasant smell. The wider family includes related words such as stink and stinking. ## Topics - Describing Qualities markdown