What does muskier mean?
“Muskier” is the comparative form of the adjective “musky.” It means that something has a stronger, more noticeable, or more pronounced musky smell than it did previously or than something else. The word is commonly used with nouns such as “scent,” “smell,” and “aroma,” especially when describing animals, bodies, rooms, plants, or other objects with a warm, sweet, heavy, or slightly animal-like odor. “Muskier” is useful when a comparison is required: a scent may be described as musky, while a stronger version of that scent can be called muskier. The word does not itself mean “more perfume” in general, although a musky perfume may be described in this way. It also differs from “musky” mainly in degree rather than in kind.
adjectiveComparative of musky: having a stronger or more noticeable musky smell.
- Having a stronger or more noticeable musky smell.
"The fox’s musky scent became muskier as it moved through the undergrowth."
"The old chest had a distinctly muskier odor than the rest of the room."
"As the warm weather arrived, the animal’s scent grew muskier."
“Muskier” is the comparative of musky: it describes a scent that smells even more distinctly of musk.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of muskier
“Muskier” is formed by adding the comparative suffix “-er” to “musky.” “Musky” in turn derives by adding the suffix “-y” to “musk,” historically a word borrowed from Latin for a substance with a strong odor. The modern comparative spelling follows the usual English pattern in which an adjective ending in “-y” takes “-ier.”
Related word forms
How muskier is actually used
This comparative form is most often used to describe a smell or scent that has become, or seems, more strongly musky.