Building a Better Vocabulary

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z Scabrous originally came from the Latin adjective scaber, meaning

“rough, scaly”; this word, in turn, was related to the Latin verb

scabo, meaning “to scratch or scrape.” Not surprisingly, scabrous is

also related to scab and scabies.

Noisome (adjective)

Offensive to the point of arousing disgust; foul, particularly in reference

to an odor.

z Noisome describes odors that are disgusting and distasteful; it also

carries a second meaning of noxious, harmful, or unwholesome.

Synonyms and related words for noisome include loathsome,

offensive, disgusting, and to emphasize the decaying and rotting

aspects of disgusting smells, fetid and putrid.

z It seems as if noisome must be related in some way to noise, but it’s

actually related to annoy.

ż According to the Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com)

and The 0HUULDP:HEVWHU1HZ%RRNRI:RUG+LVWRULHV, the

word noise comes from an Old French word spelled the same

way that meant “din, disturbance, uproar, or brawl.”

ż Interestingly, this French word came from the Latin nausea,

literally meaning “seasickness,” and the Latin word came from

the Greek nausia, literally meaning “ship-sickness.” The Greek

root naus means “ship” and gives us such words as astronaut

(“star sailor”) and navy.

Fulsome (adjective)

1. Excessively or insincerely lavish.


2. Abundant.