rancid

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 24, 2025 is: rancid \RAN-sid\ adjective Rancid usually describes something edible that has a strong and unpleasant smell or taste because it is no longer fresh. In figurative use, rancid describes things that are very distasteful or offensive. // The [corpse flower](https://bit.ly/3IOAT2D), which is the largest known individual flower of any plant species, stays open five to seven days and emits a rancid odor. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rancid) Examples: "A great oil should smell green, fresh, alive. Give it a sniff before pouring: Even once-vibrant olive oils can start to lose their aroma after a while. If the oil smells bland, it's best for sautéing, roasting or baking rather than finishing. If it smells rancid (or waxy), toss it." — Andy Baraghani, The New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025 Did you know? Rancid and [putrid](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/putrid) and [fetid](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetid)—oh my! All three words are used to describe unpleasant smells and tastes, and each traces its roots to a "stinky" Latin word: rancid can be traced back to rancēre; the root of putrid shares an ancestor with putēre; and fetid comes from foetēre—all verbs meaning "to stink." Not long after entering the language in the early 17th century, rancid also developed a second, figurative sense which is used for non-[gustatory](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gustatory) and non-[olfactory](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/olfactory) offenses, as in "rancid hypocrisy."