redolent

American  

[red-l-uhnt] / ˈrɛd l ənt /

adjective

1. having a pleasant odor; fragrant.

   Synonyms:

   odoriferous, aromatic, odorous

2. odorous or smelling (usually followed byof ).

   redolent of garlic.

3. suggestive; reminiscent (usually followed byof ).

   verse redolent of Shakespeare.

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redolent British  

/ ˈrɛdəʊlənt /

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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Other Word Forms

• redolence noun
• redolency noun
• redolently adverb

Etymology

Origin of redolent

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin redolent-, stem of redolēns, present participle of redolēre “to emit odor,” equivalent to red- red- ( def. ) + ol(ēre) “to smell” (akin to odor ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

Small gestures of sympathy are everywhere, redolent of locals who are not sure what to do, but nonetheless feel like they ought to do something.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

He has developed a remarkable gift for creating suspenseful dramas redolent of Patricia Highsmith’s psychological thrillers, but distilled into the challenging solo-play format.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Seen in proximity to “The Seasons,” its optimism felt nostalgically redolent of a very different age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

The space was redolent of chanterelles, a bowlful of which she’d just received from a forager friend in exchange for a burger.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2024

From a certain angle, the spring seems so calm: warm, tender, each night redolent and composed.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• evocative
• perfumed
• pungent
• reminiscent
• scented