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redolent

[red-l-uhnt]
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adjective
  1. having a pleasant odor; fragrant.
  2. odorous or smelling (usually followed by of): redolent of garlic.
  3. suggestive; reminiscent (usually followed by of): verse redolent of Shakespeare.
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Origin of redolent

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin redolent- (stem of redolēns), present participle of redolēre to emit odor, equivalent to red- red- + ol(ēre) to smell (akin to odor) + -ent- -ent
Related formsred·o·lence, red·o·len·cy, nounred·o·lent·ly, adverb

Synonyms

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1. odorous, aromatic, odoriferous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

reminiscent, scented, evocative, pungent, ambrosial, balmy, fragrant, odoriferous, remindful

Examples from the Web for redolent

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • It gloried in three names, all of which were redolent of home.

  • “Our men,” on the other hand, is redolent of sentimental domesticity.

    The Red Hand of Ulster

    George A. Birmingham

  • They interviewed me in my study, and the house was redolent of Southern courtesy and grace.

    St. Cuthbert's

    Robert E. Knowles

  • From springtime until autumn the presbytery was redolent of mignonette.

    Balthasar

    Anatole France

  • The silken thing which enveloped her was redolent of the perfume of roses; it was stifling her.

    The Yellow Claw

    Sax Rohmer

British Dictionary definitions for redolent

redolent

adjective
  1. having a pleasant smell; fragrant
  2. (postpositive ; foll by of or with) having the odour or smell (of); scented (with)a room redolent of country flowers
  3. (postpositive ; foll by of or with) reminiscent or suggestive (of)a picture redolent of the 18th century
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Derived Formsredolence or rare redolency, nounredolently, adverb

Word Origin

C14: from Latin redolens smelling (of), from redolēre to give off an odour, from red- re + olēre to smell
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for redolent

adj.

c.1400, from Old French redolent "emitting an odor" and directly from Latin redolentem (moninative redolens), present participle of redolere "emit a scent, diffuse odor," from red-, intensive prefix (see re-), + olere "give off a smell" (see odor).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper