Noisome

Monday, October 13, 2025
Word of the Day

What is Noisome?

adjective
Having an extremely offensive smell; harmful or unpleasant.

Pronunciation

US pronunciation: /ˈnɔɪ.səm/
UK pronunciation: /ˈnɔɪ.s(ə)m/
Slow pronunciation: NOY-sum

Meaning Explained

Noisome looks like “noisy” but means foul, fetid, or injurious — a classic semantic trap.

Why This Word?

Chosen to sharpen lexical precision (and noses).

Examples of Use

Here's how this word appears in everyday language:

  • A noisome fog rolled over the landfill.
  • The cellar’s noisome damp ruined the books.
  • They fled the noisome fumes of the spill.

Word Origins

From “annoy” + suffix, meaning harmful or offensive

Historically used for miasmas and pestilent airs.

First appearance in English: Middle English

Word Family

Related forms of this word:

  • Adjective: malodorous

    A malodorous cloud seeped in.

  • Adjective: noxious

    Noxious gases forced an evacuation.

  • Adjective: putrid

    Putrid water pooled in the ditch.

Around the World

How this word appears in other languages:

  • Spanish: fétido / nocivo
  • French: nuisible / fétide
  • German: übelriechend / schädlich
  • Italian: fetido / nocivo
  • Portuguese: fétido / nocivo

If you Already Know This Word

If you've mastered this word, try these more advanced alternatives:

Noxious

Focuses on harm; noisome adds stench.

Fetid

Purely about smell; noisome can be harmful too.

Mephitic

Archaic/technical for poisonous fumes.

Fun Facts

  • “Noisome” once meant generally harmful, not just smelly.
  • Writers play with the “noisy/noisome” confusion for effect.

Cultural Usage

  • Pre-germ theory medicine blamed disease on noisome vapors.
  • Gothic scenes writhe with noisome decay.

Common Mistakes

Often misread as “noisy”; it’s about stench or harm.

Micro Story

The alley exuded a noisome reek after the storm.