What does stinker mean?
Stinker is an informal noun used chiefly for someone regarded as unpleasant, mischievous, or troublesome. Depending on context, it may refer to a difficult person, a foul-smelling object or animal, or a problem that is especially awkward to handle. The tone can range from playful teasing to strong contempt, so the speaker’s relationship to the person and the surrounding circumstances usually determine the intended attitude. “What a stinker!” is a familiar expression of annoyance, while “that little stinker” may be affectionate when said about a child. The word is especially common in informal British and American English and is less suitable in formal writing than terms such as “nuisance” or “troublemaker,” which are more neutral.
nounAn unpleasant, troublesome, or contemptible person; informally, something offensive or difficult to deal with. It can also refer to a foul-smelling person, animal, or object.
- An unpleasant, troublesome, or contemptible person.
- Something that has a foul or offensive smell.
- A difficult or objectionable object, situation, or problem.
"That little stinker left the shopping cart in the middle of the aisle."
"I won't let that stinker treat my sister like that."
"The fish in the market had become quite a stinker by the time we reached home."
Used when referring to more than one unpleasant person, troublesome object, or foul-smelling thing.
"The children were calling their noisy neighbor a stinker, though they later admitted they had been throwing stones at his window."
A stinker may be a troublesome person, a bad smell, or a particularly difficult problem—an unusually versatile piece of informal slang.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stinker come from?
Stinker is formed from stink with the suffix -er, meaning a person or thing associated with the action or quality named by the base word. Stink itself comes through Middle English from Old English stincan, meaning “to emit a smell,” and is related to Old English stench and to the Proto-Germanic root *stinkwaną. The suffix -er is an old agentive and instrumental formation that became productive across English, producing words such as thinker and worker.
How stinker is actually used
Informal and often contemptuous or teasing rather than neutral. It can be affectionate in a joking context, especially when referring to a child or a mischievous person.