fumé

¹ American  

[fy-mey] / füˈmeɪ /

adjective

French.

1. of food, cured or flavored by exposure to smoke; smoked.

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fume ² American  

[fyoom] / fyum /

noun

1. Often fumes any smokelike or vaporous exhalation from matter or substances, especially of an odorous or harmful nature.

   tobacco fumes; noxious fumes of carbon monoxide.

2. an irritable or angry mood.

   He has been in a fume ever since the contract fell through.

   Synonyms:

   storm, agitation, fury, rage

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verb (used with object)

fumed, fuming

1. to emit or exhale, as fumes or vapor.

   giant stacks fuming their sooty smoke.

2. to treat with or expose to fumes.

verb (used without object)

fumed, fuming

1. to rise, or pass off, as fumes.

   smoke fuming from an ashtray.

2. to emit fumes.

   The leaky pipe fumed alarmingly.

3. to show fretful irritation or anger.

   She always fumes when the mail is late.

   Synonyms:

   fret, chafe

fume British  

/ fjuːm /

verb

1. (intr) to be overcome with anger or fury; rage

2. to give off (fumes) or (of fumes) to be given off, esp during a chemical reaction

3. (tr) to subject to or treat with fumes; fumigate

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noun

1. (often plural) a pungent or toxic vapour

2. a sharp or pungent odour

3. a condition of anger

fume Scientific  

/ fyo̅o̅m /

1. Smoke, vapor, or gas, especially if irritating, harmful, or smelly.

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Other Word Forms

• fumeless adjective
• fumelike adjective
• fumer noun
• fumingly adverb
• fumy adjective
• unfuming adjective

Etymology

Origin of fume

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French fum < Latin fūmus smoke, steam, fume

Example Sentences

Living in London on and off since my mid-20s meant living with traffic fumes, rather than the fresher air of northern Italy.

From BBC

Vera Bradley, the maker of quilted bags and accessories, is changing strategy again following a rebrand that de-emphasized its signature florals and patterns—and left some of its loyal consumers fuming.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sereen Banna said the partners of Downtown LA Law Group called her “Erin Brockovich” for her work helping hundreds sue over noxious fumes spewing out of a landfill in northern Los Angeles County.

From Los Angeles Times

Toxic fumes can leak into the cabin and cockpit of almost every jetliner flying today—from small business jets to the world’s biggest aircraft.

From The Wall Street Journal

The effects of fume events are often fleeting, mild or present no symptoms at all.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bristle
• chafe
• rave
• seethe