smut

American  

[smuht] / smʌt /

noun

1. a particle of soot; sooty matter.

2. a black or dirty mark; smudge.

3. indecent language or publications; obscenity.

4. Plant Pathology.

   1. a disease of plants, especially cereal grasses, characterized by the conversion of affected parts into black, powdery masses of spores, caused by fungi of the order Ustilaginales.

   2. a fungus causing this disease.

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verb (used with object)

smutted, smutting

1. to soil or smudge.

verb (used without object)

smutted, smutting

1. to become affected with smut, as a plant.

smut British  

/ smʌt /

noun

1. a small dark smudge or stain, esp one caused by soot

2. a speck of soot or dirt

3. something obscene or indecent

4. 1. any of various fungal diseases of flowering plants, esp cereals, in which black sooty masses of spores cover the affected parts

   2. any parasitic basidiomycetous fungus of the order Ustilaginales that causes such a disease

5. angling a minute midge or other insect relished by trout

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verb

1. to mark or become marked or smudged, as with soot

2. to affect (grain) or (of grain) to be affected with smut

3. (tr) to remove smut from (grain)

4. (tr) to make obscene

5. (intr) to emit soot or smut

6. (intr) angling (of trout) to feed voraciously on smuts

smut Scientific  

/ smŭt /

1. Any of various bacidiomycete fungi that are parasitic on plants and are distinguished by the black, powdery masses of spores that appear as sooty smudges on the affected plant parts. Smuts are parasitic chiefly on cereal grasses like corn and wheat and can cause enormous damage to crops.

2. Any of the various plant diseases caused by smuts, such as corn smut.

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Usage

What else does smut mean? Smut is obscene or pornographic material, including pictures and writing.

Other Word Forms

• antismut
  adjective
• smuttily
  adverb
• smuttiness
  noun
• smutty
  adjective
• unsmutted
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of smut

First recorded in 1580–90; akin to earlier smit ( Old English smitte ), by association with smudge, smutch

Example Sentences

Among the pet projects for the new guard was the library, which council members alleged was little better than a smut shop because the young adult section featured books about puberty and LGBTQ+ issues.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025

To her million-plus Twitter followers, right-wing influencer Brigitte Gabriel groused, "Children should not be watching this smut!"

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2023

He settled on using one from corn smut, a fungal pathogen.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 18, 2023

Thursday’s announcement said Russia would “take all measures” to prevent contamination by wheat smut fungus and would suspend exports to China if it was found.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 24, 2022

Then after school they rubbed smut on my face.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

Related Words

• erotica
• filth
• obscenity