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musty

1
[ muhs-tee ]
/ ˈmʌs ti /
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See synonyms for: musty / mustiness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, musĀ·tiĀ·er, musĀ·tiĀ·est.
having an odor or flavor suggestive of mold, as old buildings, long-closed rooms, or stale food.
obsolete; outdated; antiquated: musty laws.
dull; apathetic.
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Origin of musty

1
1520–30; perhaps variant of moisty (Middle English; see moist, -y1) with loss of i before s as in master

OTHER WORDS FROM musty

musĀ·tiĀ·ly, adverbmusĀ·tiĀ·ness, noun

Other definitions for musty (2 of 2)

musty2
[ muhs-tee ]
/ ˈmʌs ti /

noun, plural musĀ·ties.
(formerly) a kind of snuff having a musty flavor.

Origin of musty

2
First recorded in 1700–10; noun use of musty1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use musty in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for musty

musty
/ (ˈmʌstɪ) /

adjective -tier or -tiest
smelling or tasting old, stale, or mouldy
old-fashioned, dull, or hackneyedmusty ideas

Derived forms of musty

mustily, adverbmustiness, noun

Word Origin for musty

C16: perhaps a variant of obsolete moisty, influenced by must ³
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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