Make Your Point > Archived Issues > REDOLENT

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explore the archives: Redolent is a word for great smells: pavement redolent with the richness of rain; a pathway redolent with freshly cut grass; a rediscovered favorite paperback, its pages still wonderfully redolent. We've checked out some words for not-so-great smells, too. Can you recall them? First, there's noi____, meaning "giving off an annoying, unpleasant smell." And second, fe___, meaning "smelling so terrible that it completely disgusts you." make your point with... "REDOLENT" First, something redolent smells like something in particular or simply has a nice smell. Second, something redolent "smells" like something, meaning it reminds you of it. Pronunciation: RED uh lunt Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a redolent thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was redolent.") Other forms: redolently, redolence Does "redolent" have something to do with "red"? No, it's a coincidence. The roots in "redolent" are "re" (an intensifier) and "ole" (meaning "having a smell," which we see also in "olfactory.") The "re" happens to change to "red" sometimes before vowels. How to use it: The first meaning of "redolent" is "pleasant-smelling." Talk about redolent places and things, such as redolent foods ("these redolent appetizers"). Often we'll say something is redolent with something ("a kitchen redolent with sizzling beef") or redolent of something ("her room was redolent of fresh flowers"). Even though it's repetitive, you can say that something is redolent with the smell, scent, odor, or fumes of something, as in "air redolent with the scent of pine trees." (Personally, I try to avoid this kind of redundancy.) Notice how all my examples for the first meaning of "redolent" are positive and pleasant? It's because I prefer to stick to the word's original meaning. But I should mention that plenty of writers are getting looser with it, talking about things and places "redolent of cat litter" and "redolent with rotting fruit." The second meaning, which can be positive, neutral, or negative, is "suggestive of something: bringing something to mind." We still use "with" and "of," saying that one thing is redolent with/of something else: "a campus library redolent with authority and wisdom," "decor redolent of the nineteenth century," "a decision redolent of desperation." "Redolent of" is about five times more common than "redolent with." Still, either is fine. In general, "redolent" is a serious, sophisticated word, one that lets you play with concrete and abstract ideas together, like Sam Shepard did when he wrote about "essential ideas redolent of stale gin and suicide." So unless you're going for humor, you probably wouldn't write something like "her fingertips were redolent with Cheetos."  examples: I love walking through model homes; they're always redolent with new carpet, wood furniture, and overblown luxury. Her ankle-length skirt glimmered with sequins, redolent of the late 1990's. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "redolent" means when you can explain it without saying "aromatic" or "reminiscent." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Something real that has a smell) filled the air with the redolence of (some abstract thing)." Example: "Honeysuckle filled the air with the redolence of childhood summers." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is called One-Word Titles! Rely on your cultural knowledge, your vocabulary, or both as we consider the power and simplicity of one-word titles. We'll recall movies, songs, books, television shows, and musicals with brief, meaningful, well-chosen titles of only one word each. Let's play! From yesterday: The title of this television series, which debuted in 2004 and was created by David Milch, means both "branches that are no longer alive" and "things or people that are no longer useful." The title is ________. Answer: Deadwood. Try this today: The title of this television series, which debuted in 1964 and was created by Merv Griffin, means both "danger" and "an equally matched game." The title is ________. review today's word: 1. One opposite of REDOLENT is A. MONOCHROME B. RANCID C. CLEAR 2. Published in 1953, The Crucible suggests that McCarthyism, with its hunt for potential political dissenters, is redolent of _____. A. 1950s America B. a thoughtful, liberated society C. the Salem witch trials of long ago Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. C