redolent

In a sentence

• The hallway was redolent of fresh coffee and raincoats.
• His speech was redolent of old campaign slogans.
• The market stalls were redolent of citrus and spice.

Origin

From Latin redolens, present participle of redolere (to give off a smell), from olere (to smell).

History

English used redolent for pleasing fragrance from the 1400s. Later figurative use covered scenes and styles that evoke another time or place. Food writing and memoir lean on it when smell triggers recall. The word works for literal aroma and for atmosphere thick with association.

Nearby words

evocative · fragrant · reminiscent