musty

1
[ muhs-tee ]
See synonyms for musty on Thesaurus.com
adjective,mus·ti·er, mus·ti·est.
  1. having an odor or flavor suggestive of mold, as old buildings, long-closed rooms, or stale food.

  2. obsolete; outdated; antiquated: musty laws.

  1. dull; apathetic.

Origin of musty

1
1520–30; perhaps variant of moisty (Middle English; see moist, -y1) with loss of i before s as in master

Other words for musty

Other words from musty

  • mus·ti·ly, adverb
  • mus·ti·ness, noun

Other definitions for musty (2 of 2)

musty2
[ muhs-tee ]

noun,plural mus·ties.
  1. (formerly) a kind of snuff having a musty flavor.

Origin of musty

2
First recorded in 1700–10; noun use of musty1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for musty

musty

/ (ˈmʌstɪ) /


adjective-tier or -tiest
  1. smelling or tasting old, stale, or mouldy

  2. old-fashioned, dull, or hackneyed: musty ideas

Origin of musty

1
C16: perhaps a variant of obsolete moisty, influenced by must ³

Derived forms of musty

  • mustily, adverb
  • mustiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012