Frowsty

/ˈfraʊ.sti/ adjective

Definition

Warm and stuffy in an unpleasant or musty way; characterized by a close, warm atmosphere often with stale air (British).

Etymology

Derived from 'frowst' (verb meaning to lounge in a stuffy room), itself possibly from Romance language roots or folk etymology, mainly used in British English.

Kelly Says

This is one of those brilliantly specific British words that non-British speakers often don't have a direct equivalent for—it's not quite 'stuffy,' not quite 'musty,' but exactly that particular British interior atmosphere of warmth and staleness.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.