Standard Lemma guide

Foulness

name · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /faʊlˈnɛs/
  • rhymes with -ɛs
  • UK: /ˈfaʊəl.nəs/
  • UK: /ˈfaʊl̩.nəs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F AW1 L N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

An island on the east coast of Essex where the Thames estuary joins the North Sea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A civil parish (served by Foulness Island Parish Council) in Rochford district, Essex.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The state of being foul.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the attribute of having a strong offensive smell

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: malodorousness, stinkiness, rankness, fetidness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: olfactory property, smell, aroma, odor, odour, scent

Narrower terms: body odor, body odour, B.O.

5

noun

Meaning 5

(of weather) the badness of the weather

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they were wearied with the foulness of the weather

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raininess

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: badness, severity, severeness

6

noun

Meaning 6

a state characterized by foul or disgusting dirt and refuse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: filth, filthiness, nastiness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: unsanitariness

7

noun

Meaning 7

disgusting wickedness and immorality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he understood the foulness of sin
  • his display of foulness deserved severe punishment
  • mouths which speak such foulness must be cleansed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: iniquity, wickedness, darkness, dark

History

Etymology

From Middle English foulnesse, foulnes, from Old English fūlnes (“foulness”), equivalent to foul + -ness. Compare Dutch vuilnis (“rubbish; garbage; trash”).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Ancient Greek: ψόθος (psóthos) — state of being foul
  • Latin: foeditās — state of being foul
  • Middle English: foulnesse — state of being foul