fusty

American  

[fuhs-tee] / ˈfʌs ti /

adjective

fustier, fustiest

1. having a stale smell; moldy; musty.

   fusty rooms that were in need of a good airing.

   Synonyms:

   malodorous, smelly, oppressive, stuffy, close

2. old-fashioned or out-of-date, as architecture, furnishings, or the like.

   They still live in that fusty, gingerbread house.

3. stubbornly conservative or old-fashioned; fogyish.

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fusty British  

/ ˈfʌstɪ /

adjective

1. smelling of damp or mould; musty

2. old-fashioned in attitude

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Other Word Forms

• fustily adverb
• fustiness noun

Etymology

Origin of fusty

1350–1400; Middle English fusti, equivalent to fust (noun) < Old French: wine cask, tree trunk (< Latin fūstis stick, pole) + -y ¹

Explanation

Use the adjective fusty to describe something that's covered with dust and smells a little old and musty. Your grandmother's attic is probably full of fusty knickknacks. Fusty is perfect for describing anything from a slightly mildewed quilt at the back of your closet to your brother's camping gear, forgotten in the trunk of his car for months and smelling a little ripe. You can also use it to talk about an antique idea or attitude, like your uncle's fusty, outdated opinions on the roles of men and women. The Old French root of fusty is fusté, "tasting or smelling of the cask," from fuist, "wine cask."

Example Sentences

Venezi’s supporters say the 35-year-old, who once appeared in Italian shampoo commercials, has the potential to open up the fusty world of opera to a whole new audience.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Pilates, which combines stretching and body weight conditioning exercises, has, for some, a fusty image - a gentle and genteel workout for those of advancing years.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

There was the peculiar name, which conjured visions of a fusty baron.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2024

When the LIV tour was launched in 2021, bankrolled by the sovereign wealth fund, it telegraphed a sharp break from golf’s fusty traditionalism — and instantly split the world of men’s professional golf.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2023

“Our clothes,” he said, “got somewhat fusty in the rebels' little New Year's callithump. They're rowdy boys, and I reckon they knocked down a candle during their celebrations.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson