rancid

[ran-sid]

adjective

1. having a rank, unpleasant, stale smell or taste, as through decomposition, especially of fats or oils.

   rancid butter.

2. (of an odor or taste) rank, unpleasant, and stale.

   a rancid smell.

3. offensive or nasty; disagreeable.

rancid

/ ˈrænsɪd, rænˈsɪdɪtɪ /

adjective

1. (of butter, bacon, etc) having an unpleasant stale taste or smell as the result of decomposition

2. (of a taste or smell) rank or sour; stale

Other Word Forms

• rancidly adverb
• rancidness noun
• rancidity noun
• unrancid adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rancid¹

1640–50; < Latin rancidus rank, stinking, equivalent to ranc ( ēre ) to be rotten + -idus -id ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of rancid¹

C17: from Latin rancidus rank, from rancēre to stink

Example Sentences

But her idiosyncratic policy views are, by design, inseparable from her larger brand as a hair-on-fire nutcase of the most rancid sort.

From Salon

Despite his rancid politics, Wagner was a true genius who remains popular nearly 150 years after his death.

From Salon

The top of every “WTF” episode is his emotional check-in time, where he sometimes rails against the rancid politics of any moment but usually shares some flash of perceptivity.

From Salon

"It's an absolutely rancid, horrible smell, and it just burns your throat," says Pauline Claridge who has lived in this part of Rainham for 15 years.

From BBC

Trump’s tariffs against neighbors Canada and Mexico this week are icing on a rancid cake.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• contaminated www.thesaurus.com
• disagreeable 
• fetid 
• moldy 
• musty 
• polluted 
• putrid 
• smelly 
• soured www.thesaurus.com
• stale 
• tainted