smoky

[smoh-kee]

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

adjective, smok·i·er, smok·i·est.

emitting smoke, especially in large amounts.
hazy; darkened or begrimed with smoke.
having the character or appearance of smoke: smoky colors.

pertaining to or suggestive of smoke: a smoky haze.
of a dull or brownish gray; cloudy.

Origin of smoky

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at smoke, -y¹

Related formssmok·i·ly, adverbsmok·i·ness, nounun·smok·i·ly, adverbun·smok·i·ness, nounun·smok·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for smoky

Contemporary Examples

Toking up was implied by smoky backgrounds and non sequiturial banter.
‘Silicon Valley’ and the Return of Stoner Television
Rich Goldstein
April 10, 2014
They also ran the second-most important ad of the season, painting Quinn as a creature of a smoky backroom.
De Blasio Whipped by Horse Lobby
Josh Robin
March 8, 2014
We see Lauren, covered in sweat, dancing nervously in the middle of a smoky, caliginous, gay S&M club.
Inside James Franco’s Gay S&M Documentary (and Social Satire), ‘Interior. Leather Bar.’
Marlow Stern
January 5, 2014
Thousands of people wrapped in flags marched in the frosty, smoky air.
Inside the Kiev Crackdown
Anna Nemtsova
December 10, 2013
The police threw the rocks back and fired tear gas in smoky arcs over the wall.
Return to Military Rule Sits Uneasily with Egyptians
Mike Giglio
January 31, 2013

Historical Examples

How eagerly did my glance endeavour to penetrate the smoky distance!
A Hero of Our Time
M. Y. Lermontov
They're mostly dim and smoky, or like they're made out of fog, but this one wasn't.
Tom Sawyer, Detective
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
But he had never before returned so late, with his brain so hot and smoky.
His Masterpiece
Emile Zola
With that, Juve-Vagualame disappeared into a smoky wine shop.
A Nest of Spies
Pierre Souvestre
Brown paper should never be used with baked dishes; the pitch and tar which it contains will give the meat a smoky bad taste.
The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches,
Mary Eaton

British Dictionary definitions for smoky

smoky

adjective smokier or smokiest

emitting, containing, or resembling smoke
emitting smoke excessively or in the wrong placea smoky fireplace
of or tinged with the colour smokea smoky cat

having the flavour of having been cured by smoking
made dark, dirty, or hazy by smoke

Derived Formssmokily, adverbsmokiness, 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

Word Origin and History for smoky

adj.

early 14c., "emitting smoke," from smoke (n.) + -y (2). Meaning "filled with smoke" and meaning "resembling smoke" are from late 14c. Of flavors, from 1540s; of colors, from 1550s. Related: Smokiness.

smoky

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}smoky

Examples from the Web for smoky

Contemporary Examples

Toking up was implied by smoky backgrounds and non sequiturial banter.

They also ran the second-most important ad of the season, painting Quinn as a creature of a smoky backroom.

We see Lauren, covered in sweat, dancing nervously in the middle of a smoky, caliginous, gay S&M club.

Thousands of people wrapped in flags marched in the frosty, smoky air.

The police threw the rocks back and fired tear gas in smoky arcs over the wall.

Historical Examples

How eagerly did my glance endeavour to penetrate the smoky distance!

They're mostly dim and smoky, or like they're made out of fog, but this one wasn't.

But he had never before returned so late, with his brain so hot and smoky.

With that, Juve-Vagualame disappeared into a smoky wine shop.

Brown paper should never be used with baked dishes; the pitch and tar which it contains will give the meat a smoky bad taste.

smoky

Word Origin and History for smoky

adj.

Origin of smoky