Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Stale or moldy in odor or taste.
  • adjective Hackneyed or trite; dull.
  • adjective Out of date; antiquated.
  • adjective Out of use or practice; rusty.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To become musty.
  • Moldy; sour: as, a musty cask; musty corn or straw; musty books.
  • Having an ill flavor; vapid: as, musty wine.
  • Dull; heavy; spiritless; moping; stale.
  • noun Snuff having a musty flavor.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having the rank, pungent, offensive odor and taste which substances of organic origin acquire during warm, moist weather; foul or sour and fetid; moldy
  • adjective Spoiled by age; rank; stale.
  • adjective Dull; heavy; spiritless.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Having a stale odor.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective stale and unclean smelling
  • adjective covered with or smelling of mold

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of obsolete moisty, from moist.]

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Examples

  • In high school I'd skip lunch and spend the money in musty bookstores on Jackson Blvd., their names long forgotten.

    Bibliophile essay contest - Entrant #13 2008

  • In high school I'd skip lunch and spend the money in musty bookstores on Jackson Blvd., their names long forgotten.

    Archive 2008-04-01 2008

  • The two boys stared down at the black rectangle on the table, breathing in musty basement air.

    365 tomorrows » Static Cling : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day 2005

  • The two boys stared down at the black rectangle on the table, breathing in musty basement air.

    365 tomorrows » 2005 » November : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day 2005

  • Musty documents filed away in musty drawers, and old, old letters and deeds-of-law with crumbling edges, referred to it casually.

    The Golden Apple Tree 1920

  • I was surprised at the number, who, in musty law offices, heard the call of adventure; and I was more than surprised by the number of elderly and retired sea captains who were still thralls to the sea.

    Chapter 3 1913

  • I was surprised at the number, who, in musty law offices, heard the call of adventure; and I was more than surprised by the number of elderly and retired sea captains who were still thralls to the sea.

    Chapter 3 1911

  • During the burial service over her husband, while she had sat bowed in musty black cotton, which had been loaned her by a neighbour, she had vowed earnestly that she would wear weeds yet for Abner before she died.

    The Miller of Old Church 1911

  • If it be in corn or other eatables, as his was who had his barns full (Luke xii. 16, 17), rust (so we read it) corrupts that: Brosis -- eating, eating by men, for as goods are increased they are increased that eat them (Eccl.v. 11); eating by mice or other vermin; manna itself bred worms; or it grows mouldy and musty, is struck, or smutted, or blasted; fruits soon rot.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John) 1721

  • It says the sticker smells "musty," but it seems the second-runner-up smell was coffee.

    Today's Book Review 2010

Comments

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  • Watson used this word when he was talking about the paper that Rene had sent to Simza.

    July 1, 2012