stink

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /stɪŋk/ See IPA manual

Freq #4525

Meanings

1

verb
To have a strong, unpleasant smell.

The rubbish bin really stinks in this hot weather.
2

noun
A strong, unpleasant smell.

There was a terrible stink coming from the drains.
3

verb
To be very bad in quality.

That movie stinks; I didn't even stay until the end.
4

noun
A loud complaint or fuss about something.

If you don't make a stink about the problem, nothing will be done.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to have a strong,... reek

2 noun · a strong, unpleasant smell. stench reek pong

3 verb · to be very bad in quality. suck

Word family

Forms stankstinksstunk

Derived forms astinkdestinkfirestinkoutstinkpalestinkianstink-catstinkagestinkardstinkbagstinkbaitstinkballstinkbird

From Middle English stinken, from Old English stincan, from Proto-Germanic *stinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ-, *stegʷ- (“to push, thrust, strike”). Cognate with West Frisian stjonke (“to stink”), Dutch stinken (“to stink”), German stinken (“to stink”), Danish stinke (“to stink”), Swedish stinka (“to stink”), Icelandic stökkva (“to spring, leap, jump”).

stynken Middle English stincan Old English *stinkwaną Proto-Germanic *stengʷ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Senses & Perception

External links

# stink

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /stɪŋk/
**Frequency rank:** 4525

## Meanings
1. To have a strong, unpleasant smell.
2. A strong, unpleasant smell.
3. To be very bad in quality.
4. A loud complaint or fuss about something.

## Examples
- The rubbish bin really stinks in this hot weather.
- There was a terrible stink coming from the drains.
- That movie stinks; I didn't even stay until the end.
- If you don't make a stink about the problem, nothing will be done.

## Derived Forms
- astink
- destink
- firestink
- outstink
- palestinkian
- stink-cat
- stinkage
- stinkard
- stinkbag
- stinkbait
- stinkball
- stinkbird

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: stynken
- Root: stincan
- Root: *stinkwaną
- Root: *stengʷ-

## Etymology
From Middle English stinken, from Old English stincan, from Proto-Germanic *stinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ-, *stegʷ- (“to push, thrust, strike”). Cognate with West Frisian stjonke (“to stink”), Dutch stinken (“to stink”), German stinken (“to stink”), Danish stinke (“to stink”), Swedish stinka (“to stink”), Icelandic stökkva (“to spring, leap, jump”).

## AI Etymology
Stink is from Middle English stinken, from Old English stincan, from Proto-Germanic *stinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ-, *stegʷ- (“to push, thrust, strike”). Cognate with West Frisian stjonke (“to stink”), Dutch stinken (“to stink”), German stinken (“to stink”), Danish stinke (“to stink”), Swedish stinka (“to stink”), Icelandic stökkva (“to spring, leap, jump”). In present-day use, it can mean to have a strong, unpleasant smell, or a strong, unpleasant smell.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Senses & Perception

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