Wordul · all words

adjective · 2 syllables · /'mʌs.ti/

MUSTY

What does "MUSTY" mean?

Smelling stale, damp, or moldy, as from age or lack of fresh air.

Meanings

  1. Having a stale, damp, mold-tinged smell. The attic was musty, thick with the smell of old paper and dust.
  2. Stale or outdated in a dull, lifeless way. His arguments felt musty, recycled from a debate everyone had long since left. figurative

Word origin

Of uncertain origin, recorded from the late 16th century; possibly an alteration of 'moisty' (damp) or linked to 'must', the unfermented juice of grapes.

Remember it

A MUSTY room is one you MUST air out - the 'must' is built into the word.

A little poem

Box of letters, sealed-
I lift the lid and breathe in
someone's locked-up years.

haiku

Wordplay

  • The old library books had a musty smell - clearly they had a lot of overdue issues.

What it teaches

Air things out before they grow musty - rooms and grudges both go stale unopened.

Quick facts

What does MUSTY mean?

Smelling stale, damp, or moldy, as from age or lack of fresh air.

Is MUSTY a valid word?

Yes — MUSTY is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.

How many letters is MUSTY?

MUSTY has 5 letters and 2 syllables.

Where does MUSTY come from?

Of uncertain origin, recorded from the late 16th century; possibly an alteration of 'moisty' (damp) or linked to 'must', the unfermented juice of grapes.

What can MUSTY teach us?

Air things out before they grow musty - rooms and grudges both go stale unopened.

How players do

Be the first to solve it.

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