Word Genius * Redolent *

Redolent

[RED-ihl-ənt]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Latin, 15th century

1.

Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of (something).

2.

Strongly smelling of.

Examples of Redolent in a sentence

"The small homes are redolent of the original ones in the city."

"The aromas of spring are redolent with flowers and freshly cut grass."

About Redolent

You can use "redolent" to describe anything that reminds you of something else, but the original usage was related to smell. In Latin, "red" means "back, or again," and "olere" means "to smell." That gives us "redolent" in Latin, meaning "giving out a strong smell." The spelling and meaning passed through to Old French and into Middle English in the 15th century.

Did you Know?

Scent is one of the most powerful triggers for memory. Incoming smells pass through the olfactory bulb in your nose, directly to the hippocampus and amygdala. These areas in your brain are responsible for emotion and memory. This pathway explains why a kitchen redolent of baking cookies might remind you of Grandma.