redolent
adjective

- smelling strongly of something or having qualities (especially smells) that make you think of something else

Cambridge Dictionary

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ORIGIN

c. 1400, of flowers, food, etc., “having or diffusing a fresh and sweet scent,” from Old French redolent “emitting an odor” and directly from Latin redolentem “emit a scent, diffuse odor”, from red- + olere “give off a smell”.

The meaning “odorous or smelling” of (or with) something was in use by 1700.

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SMELLING MR JOHNSON

As the  great lexicographer Samuel Johnson paused to rest on a London park bench one hot summer’s day, his profuse sweating caused a young woman sitting next to him to exclaim:

“Sir! You smell.”

‘’No, Madam,’’ he replied, ‘’You smell, I stink.’’

Dr. Johnson was taking delight at pointing out the grammatical ambiguity of a verb both transitive and intransitive.

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SYNONYMS (for nice smells)

ambrosian, aromatic, balmy, flowery, fragrant, heady, honeyed, mellow, perfumed, scented, scent-laden, sweetly perfumed, sweet-scented, musky, woodsy

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“The air was REDOLENT of cinnamon and apple.”

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THANKS to Florian for suggesting today’s OWAD!

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HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

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Paul Smith