How Do You Spell SMELLY?

Pronunciation: [smˈɛli] (IPA)

The word "smelly" is spelled with two letters 'l', despite the fact that one 'l' could have easily done the job. The reason for this anomaly lies in the phonetic transcription of the word, which is /ˈsmɛli/. The final 'e' in the spelling is silent, but it plays an important role in lengthening the preceding vowel sound /ɛ/. Without the second 'l', the preceding 'e' would have been pronounced with a short vowel sound, making the word's overall pronunciation harder to recognize.

SMELLY Meaning and Definition

  1. The term "smelly" refers to something that emits an unpleasant or offensive odor. It is often used to describe an object, substance, or area that releases a strong, pungent, or foul smell that can be sensed by the nose. The word "smelly" can also describe a person, animal, or plant that exudes an unpleasant scent due to poor hygiene, illness, or decomposition.

    This adjective is often used in daily vernacular to express the characteristics of certain items or situations that produce an unwanted, undesirable, or repugnant smell. It implies that the object or area emits a strong and lingering odor that is typically considered offensive or unappealing to individuals in its proximity. The degree of "smelly" can vary, ranging from mildly unpleasant to extremely overpowering and revolting.

    "Smelly" is a term frequently employed to describe spoiled or rotten foods, decaying organic matter, dank and musty environments, dirty laundry, sweaty clothes, garbage, sweaty body odor, or the scent emanating from pet waste. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe an idea, plan, or situation that is deemed morally or ethically objectionable, common examples being "a smelly business deal" or "a smelly political scandal."

    Overall, "smelly" is a descriptive term highlighting offensive odors, signaling the need for removal, cleansing, or improvement to make the environment more pleasant or hygienic.

Top Common Misspellings for SMELLY *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for SMELLY

Etymology of SMELLY

The word "smelly" is derived from the Middle English word "smel", which means "to emit a strong or unpleasant odor". This Middle English term can be traced back to the Old English word "smeļl" and the Proto-Germanic word "*smalaz", both of which also mean "to smell" or "emit an odor". The Proto-Germanic term is thought to originate from the Proto-Indo-European root word "*smel", meaning "smoke" or "fire". Over time, "smel" and its variants evolved into "smelly" to describe something having a strong or unpleasant smell.

Similar spelling words for SMELLY

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