What does redolent mean?
Redolent describes something that smells strongly or distinctively, usually of a recognizable source: a room might be redolent of tobacco, spice, or old books. The word also has an important figurative use, meaning that something evokes a particular time, place, person, or emotion. A melody can be redolent of childhood, while a novel may be redolent with melancholy. This broader sense allows the word to describe the lingering impressions and associations of an experience, not merely its physical odor. Redolent is somewhat formal and literary, so it appears more often in careful prose, essays, and evocative description than in casual conversation. Depending on context, it can suggest warmth, richness, nostalgia, or an atmosphere that is difficult to forget. Its distinctive combination of sensory precision and figurative reach makes it especially useful for writing that connects an immediate impression with something remembered or imagined.
adjectiveHaving a strong or distinctive smell; smelling strongly of something. By extension, evoking a particular period, place, experience, or feeling through characteristic qualities.
- Having a strong or distinctive smell, especially of a specified substance.
- Evoking or strongly suggesting a particular period, place, experience, or feeling.
"The old library was redolent of cedar, pipe smoke, and decades of quiet study."
"The market was redolent of roasted coffee, cardamom, and fresh bread."
"Her description of childhood was redolent with affection and nostalgia."
Redolent turns a scent into a time machine: one whiff can summon a childhood, a city, or a vanished way of life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does redolent come from?
Redolent entered English in the early 17th century from Latin redolens, the present participle of redolere, meaning “to smell” or “to smell strongly.” The Latin verb combines re-, indicating intensity or repetition, with olere, “to smell,” which is also the source of English words such as odor and odorous. In English, redolent developed from its literal sense of strong smell into the figurative sense of being evocative or reminiscent.
Related word forms
How redolent is actually used
Redolent has a formal or literary tone. It is commonly followed by “of” for the source of a smell or recollection and by “with” for qualities that pervade something. Its extended, figurative use can indicate either warmth and nostalgia or an atmosphere perceived as ominous or unpleasant.