rhizoverbBeta
DictionarymustyStale smell
adjective

musty

MUS-tee/ˈmʌsti/

Having a stale smell associated with dampness.

The musty blanket makes the woman recoil from its stale smell.

A woman lifts a damp, mildew-speckled folded blanket from an open storage chest and recoils slightly from its stale smell.
Etymology

Musty may be a variant of moisty, meaning “moist, damp,” which would connect the smell with dampness. This origin remains uncertain.

In context

Why This Beer13:33
Yeah. >> And it wasn't the beers. >> That's cool. That was just like how damp and musty it was and just like like Mitch said, just old and rustic
Foam and Tradition: What We Learned in the Czech Republic

More examples

  • A musty odor escapes when I open the closet.
  • Towels get musty if you put them away damp.
  • This room smells mustier when the windows stay closed.

Forms

musty · mustier · mustiest

mustiness noun — The quality of smelling stale and damp.

Similar words

moldy
Specifically suggests mold, rather than any stale, damp smell.
stale
Suggests lost freshness, without necessarily implying dampness or mold.