What does smut mean?
Smut most commonly means indecent or obscene material, especially writing, images, or other media that are considered vulgar or sexually explicit. The word is generally negative and often conveys a stronger sense of deliberate lewdness than terms such as merely adult material. It can also refer, particularly in technical or historical usage, to a dirty, soot-like substance or a mark of dirt and discoloration. In ordinary discussion, smut is used to condemn material considered inappropriate, while the alternative sense is encountered more often in specialist writing, descriptions of surfaces, or accounts of industrial and environmental conditions. The derived adjective smutty is especially common in judgments about writing, images, jokes, or behavior that are perceived as dirty or indecent.
nounSmut is indecent or obscene material, especially literature or images of a sexual nature. In technical and historical contexts, it can also mean a dirty, soot-like deposit or discoloration.
- Indecent or obscene material, especially literature or images of a sexual nature.
- A dirty, soot-like substance or deposit; a smudge of dirt or discoloration.
"The editor removed several passages of smut from the manuscript before publication."
"The censors objected to the amount of smut in the imported film."
"A thin layer of smut covered the inside of the neglected chimney."
The plural is rare in modern usage and may refer to separate items or examples of obscene material.
"The collection contains several smuts from the early twentieth century."
One word can describe both a filthy mark and writing or images considered indecent.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does smut come from?
The word has an earlier English sense connected with dirty material or discoloration before becoming established for obscene or indecent writing. Its development reflects a broader semantic movement from physical dirt to figuratively contaminating or morally objectionable material. The precise intermediate borrowing history is less certain, but the word's older material sense and its later figurative use are both well established.
Related word forms
How smut is actually used
The common modern sense is strongly disapproving and usually refers to material regarded as indecent. The sense meaning a dirty or soot-like deposit is more specialized and may be formal, historical, or technical.
Easily confused with smut
A smudge is a blurred or dirty mark on a surface, whereas smut is primarily lewd or obscene material and can also refer to a soot-like deposit.