smut

[smuht]

noun

1. a particle of soot; sooty matter.

2. a black or dirty mark; smudge.

3. indecent language or publications; obscenity.

4. Plant Pathology.

   1. a disease of plants, especially cereal grasses, characterized by the conversion of affected parts into black, powdery masses of spores, caused by fungi of the order Ustilaginales.

   2. a fungus causing this disease.

verb (used with object)

smutted, smutting 

1. to soil or smudge.

verb (used without object)

smutted, smutting 

1. to become affected with smut, as a plant.

smut

/ smʌt /

noun

1. a small dark smudge or stain, esp one caused by soot

2. a speck of soot or dirt

3. something obscene or indecent

4. 1. any of various fungal diseases of flowering plants, esp cereals, in which black sooty masses of spores cover the affected parts

   2. any parasitic basidiomycetous fungus of the order Ustilaginales that causes such a disease

5. angling a minute midge or other insect relished by trout

verb

1. to mark or become marked or smudged, as with soot

2. to affect (grain) or (of grain) to be affected with smut

3. (tr) to remove smut from (grain)

4. (tr) to make obscene

5. (intr) to emit soot or smut

6. (intr) angling (of trout) to feed voraciously on smuts

smut

1. Any of various bacidiomycete fungi that are parasitic on plants and are distinguished by the black, powdery masses of spores that appear as sooty smudges on the affected plant parts. Smuts are parasitic chiefly on cereal grasses like corn and wheat and can cause enormous damage to crops.

2. Any of the various plant diseases caused by smuts, such as corn smut.

Other Word Forms

• antismut adjective
• unsmutted adjective
• smuttily adverb
• smutty adjective
• smuttiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of smut¹

First recorded in 1580–90; akin to earlier smit ( Old English smitte ), by association with smudge, smutch

Word History and Origins

Origin of smut¹

Old English smitte; related to Middle High German smitze; associated with _smudge , _smutch

Example Sentences

Among the pet projects for the new guard was the library, which council members alleged was little better than a smut shop because the young adult section featured books about puberty and LGBTQ+ issues.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Sarah says she wants to challenge the critics of romance fiction - often men - who diminish what she describes as "really high-quality writing" by saying "it's just smut".

Read more on BBC

A trio of artists are trying to sneak smut past the censors, led by Malta's Miriana Conte, with a throbbing club track called Serving.

Read more on BBC

Or, “What if my partner judges me for writing smut?”

Read more on New York Times

Romance novels these days can contain real depth, portraying character growth and healthy relationship fluff as well as smut.

Read more on Seattle Times

Related Words

• erotica 
• filth 
• obscenity 

When To Use

What else does smut mean?

Smut is obscene or pornographic material, including pictures and writing.