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Rancid Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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rancid

[ˈrænsɪd ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Adjective

food

Having a strong, unpleasant smell or taste as a result of being old and stale.

Synonyms

gone off, rotten, spoiled.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
rancid

Best used when describing fats, oils, or fatty foods that have broken down and developed an unpleasant smell or taste.

  • The butter has gone rancid; it smells awful.
  • This expired cooking oil is rancid.
spoiled

Refers to any type of food that is no longer good to eat due to decay or expiration.

  • The meat in the fridge is spoiled; we need to throw it away.
  • Those berries have spoiled; they're all mushy.
rotten

Describes fruits, vegetables, and organic matter that have decayed or decomposed, often with a foul smell.

  • The apples in the basket are rotten.
  • There is a rotten smell coming from the garbage.
gone off

Casual way to say something, especially food, is no longer fresh or edible.

  • I think this milk has gone off; it tastes sour.
  • That leftover pizza has gone off.

Examples of usage

  • The milk smelled rancid, so I poured it down the sink.
  • The rancid butter made the whole kitchen smell.
Context #2 | Adjective

figurative

Unpleasant or offensive.

Synonyms

disgusting, foul, repugnant.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
rancid

Used primarily to describe food, especially fats and oils, that have gone bad and have an unpleasant smell or taste.

  • The butter has turned rancid; it smells awful.
  • You can tell the meat is rancid by its foul odor.
foul

Can describe something that is unpleasant to the senses, particularly smell, or something morally bad. Commonly used to describe bad smells, weather, or language.

  • There was a foul odor coming from the garbage bin.
  • She used foul language during the argument.
disgusting

Used to describe something that strongly repels or offends the senses or moral feeling. It is a broad term that can refer to anything from bad food to horrible actions.

  • The moldy cheese left a disgusting taste in my mouth.
  • His behavior at the dinner table was absolutely disgusting.
repugnant

Typically used to describe something that is extremely distasteful or unacceptable, often on a moral or ethical level. The word has a strong negative connotation.

  • His racist remarks were repugnant to everyone in the room.
  • The thought of eating insects is repugnant to many people.

Examples of usage

  • His rancid attitude towards his coworkers made it difficult to work with him.
  • She could not stand the rancid smell of cigarettes.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'rancid'

The word 'rancid' originated from the Latin word 'rancidus', meaning 'rank, stinking'. It has been used in English since the 17th century to describe something that has gone bad or has a foul smell or taste.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,518, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.