redolent

Summary

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: “Redolent”

Date: June 4, 2026
Host: Peter Sokolowski

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Episode Overview

This episode of Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day delves into the adjective "redolent." Peter Sokolowski explains its primary meanings, usage in context, etymology, and the connection between scent and memory, giving listeners a nuanced understanding of the word.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Definition and Usage

• "Redolent" is spelled R E D O L E N T and is an adjective.

• It serves as a synonym for “aromatic,” describing anything with a noticeable scent.

  • Not just about any smell; typically, it refers to a pleasing or distinctive one.

• Usage with “of” or “with”:

  • “Redolent” is frequently followed by “of” or “with” to specify the fragrance or quality:
    • Example: “redolent with incense.”

• It also has an extended meaning:

  • Describes something that evokes or brings to mind memories or associations:
    • Example: “music redolent of the 1980s.”

2. Notable Example in Context

• [01:10] Example sentence from the Chicago Tribune:
  • Quote:

    “The store is redolent with the aroma of warm chocolate and an ambiance evoking the agricultural roots of cacao with plants and growing tunnels.”
    (Chicago Tribune, cited by Peter Sokolowski)

3. Etymology and Word Family

• “Redolent” traces back to the Latin verb “olēre,” meaning ‘to smell.’

• Related word: “olfactory”—pertaining to the sense of smell.

• Early English Usage:

  • In the 15th century, “redolent” simply meant “having an aroma.”

4. Scent and Memory Connection

• The episode emphasizes the link between scent and memory:
  • The “evocative” or “suggestive” sense of “redolent” is tied to how certain smells can spark memories.
  • Quote ([01:50]):

    “Scent and memory are famously linked, and an extended use of redolent to mean evocative or suggestive links them again, as in lollipops redolent of childhood.” (Peter Sokolowski)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the primary definition:
  [00:44]

  “Redolent can describe something that has a notice without specifying the scent, but more often it is accompanied by ‘of’ or ‘with,’ and means full of a specified fragrance, as in ‘redolent with incense.’”
  (Peter Sokolowski)

• On evocative use:
  [00:59]

  “Redolent can also describe something that causes thoughts or memories of something, as in music redolent of the 1980s.” (Peter Sokolowski)

• On the scent-memory connection:
  [01:50]

  “Scent and memory are famously linked, and an extended use of redolent to mean evocative or suggestive links them again, as in lollipops redolent of childhood.”
  (Peter Sokolowski)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:43] — Introduction and spelling of “redolent”
• [00:44] — Primary definitions and usage notes
• [01:10] — Sentence example from the Chicago Tribune
• [01:30] — Etymology and word family
• [01:50] — Scent-memory connection and extended figurative use

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Episode Takeaway

With clear explanations and memorable examples, this episode offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of “redolent”—from its scents and evocative power to its historic linguistic roots. It’s a quick, enriching guide for building vocabulary and appreciating the deep connection between words, smells, and memories.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. It's the Word of the day podcast for June 4th.

[B]

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[A]

Today's word is redolent Spelled R E D O L E N T. Redolent is an adjective as a synonym of aromatic. The word redolent can describe something that has a notice without specifying the scent, but more often it is accompanied by of or with, and means full of a specified fragrance, as in redolent with incense. Redolent can also describe something that causes thoughts or memories of something, as in music redolent of the 1980s. Here's the word used in a sentence from the Chicago Tribune the store is redolent with the aroma of warm chocolate and an ambiance evoking the agricultural roots of cacao with plants and growing tunnels. Redolent traces back to the Latin verb olere, meaning to smell, and is a relative of olfactory, meaning of relating to or connected with the sense of smell. In its earliest English uses in the 15th century, redolent simply meant having an aroma. Today it usually applies to a place or thing permeated with odors. Scent and memory are famously linked, and an extended use of redolent to mean evocative or suggestive links them again, as in Lollipop's redolent of Childhood with your word of the day. I'm Peter Sokolowski.

[C]

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