rancid
rancid Lexical Profile
rancid Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Having a foul, rank, or unpleasant smell or taste as a result of decomposition or chemical oxidation (especially of foods containing fats or oils, such as butter, nuts, or meat).
"She threw out the jar of walnuts after realizing the oils had turned rancid in the warm pantry."
Highly offensive, repulsive, or morally corrupt; marked by nasty or bitter unpleasantness.
"The debate quickly devolved into a rancid exchange of personal insults and bitter accusations."
Word Nuance & Usage
In literal contexts, 'rancid' specifically describes spoiled foods that contain fats or oils (such as butter, bacon, nuts, or cooking oil) that have oxidized, rather than spoiled fruits or vegetables, which become 'rotten' or 'moldy'.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin 'rancidus' ('stinking, rank, offensive'), derived from the verb 'rancere' ('to be rank or rotten').